


White Knight in the City

by Maejones



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Gratuitous Swearing, Humor, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Not Related, Modern AU, POV Rey (Star Wars), Protective Kylo Ren, Rey Needs A Hug, Reylo - Freeform, Smut, did i mention smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-05-04 03:26:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14583924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maejones/pseuds/Maejones
Summary: Set in contemporary LA (modern AU) Rey turns to the most unlikely of saviors....





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dietplainlite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dietplainlite/gifts).



 

Rey Jakks' and Ben Solo's names would never normally be uttered in the same breath, the most that could be said about their relationship is that it was barely an association. They only knew one another through their respective significant others. Rey dated Marc and Ben dated Melanie. Marc and Melanie were twins and possibly the worst people on the planet. The twins were charming, privileged socialites with the tendency to cheat and lie and generally treat anyone who loved them with utter disdain, especially Ben and Rey.

Funny thing about that though, while both Rey and Ben found themselves rubbed the wrong way by their partner's sibling, they were utterly devoted to their own half of the M&M scourge. So, Ben's disdain for Marc extended to Rey (what self-respecting girl would put up with his lies?) and Rey's dislike of Melanie coloured her opinion of Ben (what sort of guy would stick with a girl who routinely insulted him?). The few conversations Rey and Ben ever had were tense exchanges at the twins' family functions (almost too tense?).

They were de-facto adversaries, in fact, until the twins decided to party in Vegas.

Several Facebook tags later, a salacious post on Instagram and an inadvertent Snap of a penis sent to the wrong chatter, both Rey and Ben's relationships were kaput. Rey had been away on a work trip during this episode. She flew back to LA several days later but found herself without an airport pick up at nearly midnight. Exhausted after a hellish day of cancelled flights and missed connections, she reached out to the only person she knew in the city besides Marc - Ben Solo.

He answered the call.

 

* * *

 

Rey heaved in a lungful of the night air when she finally recognized a vehicle. Ben's black, full-sized truck drove up hastily and lurched to a stop with a clunk of its transmission. She had always secretly disapproved of his truck, thinking he used it to bolster his "manliness", but right at that moment it looked like a veritable chariot and relief flooded through her limbs. She just caught a glance of him in the cab as he whipped off his ball cap and rubbed a hand through his hair before he jumped out and skipped around the nose of his truck. Almost the moment their eyes met, she was overwhelmed with emotion. She was relieved to see someone, anyone, after such a god awful day, but watching him come to her rescue and knowing that her ordeal had ended released the day's frustrations. Her eyes prickled and misted over.

"Ah, hey," he murmured gruffly as he approached, "don't get all squishy on me."

Her face contorted and she tried to swallow back her misery. She half-turned towards her luggage. She didn't know what to do with herself. 

"Hey, hey, hey," his voice softened. "I was just joking, sorry."

Ben stepped just up to the curb but not onto it. He stared at her a moment as she staved off tears. Once again he scratched a hand through his hair. It looked like he had run his fingers through his thick locks too many times to count but his mane was still ridiculously gorgeous. She gave her head a shake. She could swear she had never thought about his hair in those terms before but her inner self just shrugged as if it were old news. Rey glanced up into his liquid-obsidian eyes. Tears welled again. She wanted to hate anyone and everything that had ever had anything to do with Marc and Melanie but he had such a concerned expression. When a tear slipped down her cheek, he huffed a breath and enfolded her in his arms. At first, his embrace was awkward and she felt as if she were held by a mannequin, but then he relaxed slightly. 

"Pretty tough day, huh?" he murmured into her hair then laughed bitterly. "Tough week, right?"

Rey nodded and sank against him. At some point her hands crept around his torso and they hugged for several moments. He was so warm and solid. It was a bit surreal to hug anyone besides Marc but she felt a much-needed comfort all the same. Eventually, she regained her faculties and lifted her head from his shoulder. He angled his chin down. Their eyes met. The inclination to look away whacked her in the chest and her fingers contracted on his back. The moment drew out. His gaze was laden with confusion like he searched for answers. At one point, his attention flitted to her lips. When they made eye contact again, he expunged a breath and his head dipped. However, his advance was halting and unsure. Lips touched hers and he sucked in a breath. Then, he sighed and pressed them on hers more firmly. She was stunned for a second but tilted her head to accept the caress. Their mouths shifted together like two formed pieces fitting into place. She responded shyly when he began to kiss her more deliberately. She felt his arms compress and he leaned into the embrace. The world fell away in that kiss and she almost floated off the curb, tugged to him by his lips. Eventually though, the rattling growl of a car as it whizzed by disrupted the moment. He jerked his head back.

"Fuck," Ben swore as he peered down, his eyes widened, "fuck."

"Y-You kissed me," Rey mumbled in disbelief.

His arms slacked and he stepped back. "Yeah . . . fuck."

He scratched his temple, then grabbed her suitcase and handed her her handbag from the top. 

"Is this suitcase alright in the back?" he mumbled.

She nodded. He swung it into the bed of the truck and then yanked open the passenger door.  She climbed inside and turned back towards him. He rested on the door frame with his head inclined somewhat. When their eyes met again, he encroached into the cab. She strained towards him, He dropped his head. Their mouths met and passion exploded between them. His lips were more desperate, more demanding with that follow up kiss. A heightened excitement washed through her belly and coiled her insides. His tongue teased at hers and set sparks off deeper in her core. He tore himself away after a spell and swore again.

"Fu-uck," he pushed away from the truck, shook his head and swung the door closed.

Before Rey could even fasten her belt, Ben was inside fumbling with the console seat. He stashed some things away, secured others and flipped it up. He peered over at her and twitched his brows. He gestured in resignation. His fingers jittered on the empty space next to him.

"Well, you may as well sit here," his voice rumbled.

She scooted into the vacant seat and fastened her belt. She felt as if she were sixteen again only she couldn't remember ever sitting that close to a guy as he drove. Their fingers curled together on her thigh. When she looked down, her stomach flip-flopped. His hand was huge and a little rough. She remembered that he was a carpenter of some sort . . . no, a roofer. That was it. She peered up at him shyly. He leaned down a final time and kissed her briefly again. She felt his whole body jump at the contact. Once, twice, he fed from her lips and then retracted.

"I feel like I've waited forever to kiss you," he muttered as his dark eyes shone down, "but . . . I've never thought of you in  _that way_  before. Damn, I'm not making any sense. Am I making any sense?"

She sucked in a breath. "I - ah - I think I know what you mean, actually."

He rubbed a knuckle on his forehead. "I did have a dream once-"

The impatient honking of a horn cut him off. He swore and cranked his transmission into gear. When they were on their way, his hand fumbled back onto her lap and their fingers intertwined. They drove for several minutes before he spoke again. 

"It just occurred to me that I don't know where you live." Ben squeezed her fingers.

"Nowhere," Rey breathed, then swallowed, "I mean, my stuff is at Marc's but I'm not going there tonight. I booked a hotel in Gardena-" 

He glanced sideways and opened his mouth to speak but quickly returned his focus back to the road. He then took a half-breath, moved his lips as if practicing the words and cleared his throat.

"You should stay at my place-" he winced "-I mean, you could, if you wanted. I, um . . ."

He finally expunged an exasperated breath. Their eyes sideswiped. He stretched his neck.

"Fuck it," he said with determination as he stared straight out the window, "you _should_ stay at my place."

Rey's chest constricted. She could feel him vibrating where their legs touched and in his hand even as he grasped hers tightly. Her temperature rose. She imagined herself in his arms, then under him with his weight pressing her down. Her insides flushed again. She didn't know him. He was a virtual stranger but she felt this-

"Connection," he mumbled as if finishing her thought. "You feel it? I think it's always been there, I just pushed it away."

"Yes."

Again his eyes flitted to her momentarily. "You felt it too?'

Rey inhaled a shuddering breath. She wasn't ready to unpack months and months of careful compartmentalization. 

"No," she sputtered, "that is, what I meant is - yes, I would rather stay with you."

Ben's adam's apple bobbed up and down. In the next instant, he slowed his truck and pulled a u-turn. His face went through a series of expressions as if he battled with himself. Finally, he sighed.

"Just so you know, I don't have any expectations-"

Rey shifted next to him suddenly anxious to get to their destination. 

"Just so you know," her voice was bolder than she intended, "I do."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hook ups, who knew they could be complicated?

Rey wasn’t sure what she expected when they cruised through the quiet Sierra Vista neighborhood where Ben lived, but it certainly wasn’t the oh-so quaint pale yellow and pewter-green craftsman home in the middle of a block of equally charming houses. He turned his truck into its adobe brick drive and pulled along the left side of the two-story house.

“This is it.” He nodded in its direction.

Rey bobbed her head. “Yeah, wow.”

“Something wrong?” he asked.

Rey swallowed. She was a bit thrown off. She peeked at him. He always dressed entirely in black, from his requisite snug tee that strained over his broad chest to the somewhat slouchy, slim jeans and worn steel-toed, leather boots he preferred. She would have thought he lived in a Gothic manor or possibly, some contemporary bachelor pad with too many mirrored surfaces. She had prepared herself to hook up with  _that_  kind of guy, not someone with flower baskets overflowing with blossoms hanging from his front porch.

“You house is . . . cute.”

He snorted. “Cute?”

She nodded. “ _Really_ cute?”

He laughed under his breath. “Okay.”

“I mean,” she blinked at his perfect lawn, “I don’t think I’ve seen this much green in all of Los Angeles.”

His smile tugged up at the corner and she was struck with the sudden feeling she viewed it in HD. Subsequent to that odd thought, she was hit with a discomforting moment of extreme awareness while she appraised the bit of stubble he had along his jaw. Until a few days ago, this man had been about as off-limits as area 51. She couldn’t shake the feeling she was doing something illicit, like she was about to cheat but then, she had barely been single more than a few days. His plump bottom lip twitched under her scrutiny. She watched the seam of his mouth part before she was enveloped in a shadow and greedy lips sought her own. Every thought she had was obliterated by the feel of his supple yet demanding flesh coaxing a response.

Rey moaned through her chest when their tongues met. She threw an arm around his neck and kissed him back enthusiastically, her lower belly literally exploded in May-Day streamers at the intensity of the kiss. Whether he urged her up or she wriggled in place, somehow, she ended up straddling his lap. He sucked in a breath when her bum settled over his groin then kissed her again as if starved. In their jostling, she cracked her elbow against his truck’s steering wheel. A loud honk echoed between his house and one next door. Several birds squawked at took flight from a pair of palms leaning over the drive.

“Fuck,” Ben swore and laughed under his breath.

“Eep,” Rey whispered. “Sorry.”

He laughed and squeezed her hips. He groaned.

“Guess we should go inside,” he murmured.

A short while later, Rey followed Ben who toted her suitcase through a side entry into a small, bright kitchen with simple white cupboards and stainless appliances. As he fished keys and his wallet from his pockets to toss them on the counter, his phone began to vibrate. He jerked his head and blew hair from his eyes as he inspected it with a wrinkled nose.

“Hmph,” he grunted. “Of course.”

Rey was inundated with a wave of cold wash through her system as he thumbed a text response. Before he could even put his mobile down, it buzzed again.

“Not fucking now,” he muttered. “Goddamnit, Melanie, lay off.”

For a few seconds, Rey’s stomach lurched as if the floor had dropped out from under her feet. Ben’s lips pulled taut in a grim expression. She looked around desperately for an escape, a bathroom maybe. She managed only a step towards the dimly lit hallway when Ben slammed his phone down on the counter.

“Sorry, Rey,” he sighed loudly, “I imagine Marc hasn’t been much better.”

She glanced back at him. “Huh?”

“I mean, they don’t like to lose, do they? Melanie has been trying to explain herself. Not much to explain, is there?”

Rey shrugged. “Marc hasn't contacted me at all."

Ben frowned. His eyes skittered over her face and narrowed with a thought.

"That doesn't make any sense," his voice was low and contemplative, "I would be hounding you non stop-"

Ben's phone rattled on the counter and his eyes went sideways. He glowered at it but a kind of forlorn ripple flickered in his eyes. Rey swallowed a rising lump in her throat. Her hands quivered at her sides. Another bout of cold nausea overwhelmed her in that moment made all the worse by the indignity of suffering Marc's indifference in comparison to Melanie's desperation. Her chest tightened. Suddenly, the specter of additional rejection at Ben's hands was all too real and her cheeks began to tinge with humiliation. 

"Um, I, ah, should go use the washroom," she mumbled with a weak gesture at his phone, "y-you can . . . whatever."

Ben's brows drew together and he picked up the phone. He held the button down on the side until the screen flicked off without averting his eyes from Rey. 

"Sure. It's the second door down on the right," he said flatly.

She whirled and padded quickly down the narrow hall. Once inside the small lavatory, she hunched over the old-fashioned pedestal sink and wheezed through a near panic attack. When she glanced up at the mirror, she cursed. Her complexion was mottled with alternating patches of red and white as if she were suffering an allergic reaction to her emotions. Her white blouse was more crumpled than discarded knickers. On the plus side, even though she felt as if she'd been awake for days, she didn't look weary. Emotional turmoil had an apparent covergirl effect or some crap. Her lips puffed out, abnormally pouty and kissable, and her eyes shone large and limpid. She glanced down.

"This is your fault," she hissed to her crotch, "you got me into this mess. What do we do now?"

_"Leave the bathroom naked. It's a solid plan. 110/100."_

She groaned and splashed some cool water on her face. She couldn't help but hiccup a sardonic laugh at the imagined response of her aroused nether regions. After a nervous pee, hands scalded under the taps and several moments of cool down time later, she finally emerged from the bathroom steeled and ready for anything.

Anything, except for the looming tower of Ben entering the confinement of the century-old hallway.

"You okay?" his voice rumbled.

She chewed her bottom lip. Inexplicably, he had grown a head taller and a a third broader in the shoulders, or at least, that's how it felt to encounter him in such a closed place. He stopped just in front of the corridor's lone incandescent bulb which backlit his head. The filtered light had the effect of making his hair seem like a lustrous halo about his head while casting his unusual beauty in deep shadows. She could just see a sheen of moisture on his lips. He was like some stupid hot demon angel. Her brain was fried.

"I'm fine," she finally blubbered, "you?"

His arms flexed as he planted them on either wall and inclined his head. "Peachy."

She fiddled with her wrists as she glimpsed a peek of his lower belly above his waistline."So, everything, like, sorted with your ex there?"

He shook his head slowly. "Not at all. She's having trouble understanding my . . . _disenchantment?_ "

Rey bobbed her head."D-Does she know I'm here?"

He huffed a breath of amusement. "No, but it would be hilarious to see her face if she knew."

Her insides knotted again, but not in a good way. She wondered if all Ben's talk of connection earlier was just wrapped up in a need for vengeance against Melanie. What better way to hurt his ex girlfriend than to fool around with the girl who had dated her brother? Ben seemed to sense her conflict.

"Melanie and I are over," he said firmly.

Rey thought she might shake apart into a nervous pile of sputtering neurons at his feet. He might not care who he slept with in the wake of his breakup, but she didn't work that way. Whatever she felt for him had awakened like a hibernating serpent from somewhere deep within. The connection - the attraction - uncoiled as if the first rays of spring sun bathed its flesh and despite her bathroom reprieve, she wasn't any less hot for the guy. Yet, he could still savage her pride at any given moment. Her inclination at that instant was fuck or flight.

Ben's fingers drummed on the walls. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"So . . . ?"

Rey scrunched her toes in her socks. Her nervousness coughed up a double barreled salute. 

"So!" she wanted to die as she cocked her thumbs for good measure.

Ben's hands slid down the wall and he strolled forward. "I have some expectations to deal with, right?"

She inhaled a quick breath. "Yeah, Ben, about that . . . erm, it's fine, you know, if you don't want to anymore-"

His brow shot up. "Nothing has changed for me, Rey. Yeah, it's a fucked up situation and I honestly can't tell you what I'll be thinking tomorrow, but right here? Right now? I want to figure out what . . . what the fuck  _this_  is."

She licked her lips. "Probably a bad idea."

"Probably," he capitulated.

They squared off for another few seconds before Ben's chin lifted in a gesture. "Bedroom is upstairs."

Rey turned to see a steep set of risers. Her rebellious feet made her decision for her and she gravitated towards them. Behind her, the refinished plank floors creaked under his weight. The few hairs that had escaped her ponytail stood on the back of her neck. She gripped the handrail for support as she anxiously climbed each polished step to the carpeted loft at the top which turned out to be an open-concept master bedroom that took up the entire second floor. To her surprised relief, the only mirror in the main part of the room was an old fashioned, free-standing unit close to one side of the sloped ceiling. Her blood rushed in her ears when Ben flicked a switch and two bedside lamps bathed the room in a warm glow. She spied the low king bed centered on the far wall. She knew she could still change her mind but then she saw that it was still messy from his previous night's sleep. She had a vision of him tossing and turning restlessly. She feared that was exactly the fate that awaited her if she chose somewhere else to sleep.

"I'm just going to use the bathroom," his voice reverberated at her back.

She nodded vigorously. "Okay!"

Ben walked past her and through an opening in the right wall next to the bed which led to a tiled floor. There was no door so she hung back and pretended not to hear him relieve himself and then wash up. Her face was on fire during the intimate interlude and she was nearly panting from the effort to remain collected. She couldn't understand her reaction to him at all, she didn't normally have any hang-ups. She was in shape, decent looking and hadn't received any complaints about her performance; yet there she was, quivering with anxiety over any number of faults he might find.

Rey heard a soft cough. When she looked towards the bathroom, she nearly choked on her own spit. Ben's shirt was off and his jeans unbuttoned. She blinked several times at his broad, naked, and absolutely ripped chest. Her gaze drifted down over his taut stomach to a skim of dark hair that beckoned her to discover whatever was concealed in his drawers. Her tummy did a little jig and heat infused every inch of her flesh. She could swear her toes blushed. He was just . . . so. FIT. 

As he came towards her she kind of panicked and tugged at the buttons on her blouse as if she'd been slacking. Ben smiled and in the next instant, his hands cupped her face. His smile faded as he appeared to memorize every millimeter of her facade, then his eyes constricted in a kind of lazy, sexy, hooded manner. Inside her head a giant neon sign kept flashing the words, "WARNING: HOT".

"You're nervous," he murmured. "Don't be. I am exceedingly easy to please."

For a moment, her tongue was a limp mass in her mouth.

"Marc was my first!" she blurted out as if that was a coherent response.

Ben made a face. "Well, fuck, what a relief. I can't imagine he's set your expectations very high."

Rey giggled. "Oh, my, god! You're so mean."

An angry shadow crossed his face. "He betrayed you, Rey. My being mean is the least he deserves."

Welp, that was enough to destroy any reservations she had.

"Grrr, shut up and kiss me already," she demanded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you hate me? Well, I gotta milk it. One more chapter.....


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No takesies-backsies now!

If you asked about sex just a few days prior, Rey would have claimed she could not be surprised by anything - she had been there, done that. Two years in a committed relationship with a sometimes demanding partner had convinced her she knew all there was to know about the act.

But she had never been kissed like  _this_  nor had she ever been as  _affected_  by any partner _._ Kissing Ben was a revelation. Every move he made, every shift of his lips was perfect and perfectly timed as if their mouths were a matching set. His tongue probed but not aggressively. It found hers, teased and retreated and returned until she was almost grinding against him. Somewhere in the midst of their embrace, his large fingers deftly worked on her buttons and her blouse found its way to the floor. Her bra followed. Heaven was the feeling of her breasts flattened against his chest as he picked her up and walked her straight back to his bed. Before she knew it, he had dropped and they toppled to its surface with her back flat against his rumpled linens and his heavy frame pressing her down. For the first time, she could feel his arousal straining through his pants into the apex between her legs.

"Mmph, we're getting a little ahead of ourselves here," he mumbled.

He sat up on his knees and pushed his hair back. Rey fought the urge to cover her bare torso. Her fingers danced across her collarbone. She felt a flush down her chest between her breasts at the gleam of heat in his fathomless eyes.

"God, you're gorgeous," he murmured.

"You're . . . you're alright," she stuttered.

He laughed. "I'll take that."

"Actually," she rushed out, "you're really hot."

He smirked but cast his eyes down a second. 

"I'll take that too," he replied before raising his gaze.

Their eyes met. His hand hovered over her pants. She could feel the heat from it like it was a 100-watt bulb. She swallowed and wiggled her hips impatiently when she realized he was being a tease. With another grin, his hands slid to her hips and tugged her bottoms down. His index fingers hooked on her panties. He twitched his brows and pulled them off along with her bottoms. She couldn't help but cross her ankles anxiously as he stood up and shuffled out of his own pants. It wasn't cold in his bedroom but her flesh prickled and goosebumps sprang up all over.

Then she saw  _it_. The man was certainly proportionate and she could confirm that the "large hands, large feet" thing was decidedly NOT a myth. In other words, his cock was a behemoth. It jutted out straight and thick and beyond ready for what they planned. When he dropped to the bed to crawl over her, it bobbed and she noted that he was uncircumcised, another direct contrast to Marc. At first, she wasn't sure what he planned. More kissing? She swung her knees this way and that then finally let them fall apart. She didn't care if he dropped all pretense and slammed into her right then. She was ready. She ached.

Ben wasn't rushing, though. He slipped a large hand under her hips, lifted and moved her up the bed as if she weighed no more than pillow. He settled between her legs and rubbed his rigid shaft against her belly. She trembled. Her legs quaked. Another sign flashed in her head, "WARNING: HUGE OBSTRUCTION AHEAD". 

"Gaaah!" she gasped when a warm, wet mouth closed over a breast.

Her fingers went right to his hair. It was softer and more silky than she imagined. She gripped fistfuls of it as his tongue swirled around her nipple. At the same time his knuckles stroked her side. Her hips bucked when teeth compressed gently and tugged.

"Unh!" she cried.

"Mmm, you like that?" he asked.

"Uh, huh," she panted. "Yuh!"

He dragged his tongue across to her other breast and paid it the same attention while her opposite nipple contracted from cooling as his saliva evaporated. Ben. Ben! That grumpy, caustic fuck who had made every interaction they'd had viscerally uncomfortable in the past,  _Ben Solo_  was sucking on her tits. Her sex washed with the sting of arousal. The same Ben Solo was also hard as a rock on her belly. She didn't know how that was going to work. One or both of them was going to be extremely uncomfortable with the inconsistent fit. She cussed aloud. The thought of him ruining her nearly made her cum right then.

"Whoa," he uttered as he moved up to hover over her, "you're writhing. You're not getting close already, are you? I just got started."

She shook her head but every breath that left her lungs shuddered from her body. Her hands slipped from his hair, her arms were jelly. She slung them around his neck and kissed his chest. His fingers glided down her stomach and sought her cleft. A large digit slid through her folds and over her most sensitive point. She jumped at the intensity of the spark.

He exhaled heavily and swore. "You're really, really excited."

"Mm hmm."

He sucked in air. "I had plans, you know, I was going to dazzle you with my skills."

"Low . . . bar . . .remember?" she rasped.

His cock twitched on her stomach. A deep, raw sound rumbled his chest.

"Fuck," the word dragged past his lips, "I just know I am not going to last two minutes inside you."

His finger rubbed through her sex again and pushed into her body. She clenched on it involuntarily. 

"Maybe less than two minutes."

"Ben," she whispered in exasperation, "I don't need anything else. Just you . . . please."

Again, air whooshed noisily from between his lips. "Ok, yeah."

With that, he was smacking his hand sideways while trying to kiss her as he sought something. He knocked the lamp off its nightstand and scattered some change before a drawer banged open. He leaned back a final time. She heard a crinkle of plastic and watched him roll on a condom while he kneeled between her legs.

"Ready?" he hiked a brow.

Her belly contracted. Her mind whirled. Ready? Of course she wasn't ready. Until a few days ago, she hated Ben Solo. She wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't hate him the next day. 

"I'm ready."

Ben kissed the inside of her knee with his plush lips, moved and settled over her once more. Again, his stiff cock imprinted on her flesh. His mouth fumbled onto hers like he was struggling to maintain his cool. His hips rocked as his tongue plunged inside her mouth. 

"Fuck," he broke away, his breath scalded her flesh, "you understand, there's no taking this back?"

"Uh, huh."

Rey felt something larger and more insistent rub against her cleft. Then, it seated into place and she heard Ben drag in a breath.

"This changes things, Rey," he murmured, "changes everything."

"I'm past ready, stop talk- aaaah-g-g-g. What the h-hell-?!"

With a surge, his large, blunt head breached her outer defenses and he plunged inside. The pressure was intense, she felt invaded, split, but at the same time, it was the most satiating feeling she had ever had. The empty ache she had suffered only moments before was replaced by an incredible fulfillment. In, in, _in_ he continued until his hips spread her legs, stretched her groin and pressed her into the mattress. The blip of the rolled edge of the condom passed through her entry and she had a sudden, stereo moment. She could hear his every exchange of air like crashing waves, feel his thundering heart through his chest and almost taste his sweat. Once he was fully seated, he retracted slightly and thrust back in with a groan.

"Fuck, Rey," he murmured.

She gripped his shoulders and neck and held onto him tightly. She swallowed several times. He was right. There was no taking it back. She could never un-know his raw possession. She could never forget the startling reality of that flashbulb moment, of being connected to him in that way but also stretched and conformed to house him.  Her head fell to the mattress and she was pretty sure her eyes rolled back like marbles. He found a way to kiss her then, and swallowed her cry as he cycled his hips and thrust again. Slowly, he began to stroke in and out until his shaft became slick with her excitement, then increased his pace. She barely managed a breath between each stroke, so consuming was his coupling.

Rey wanted it all, though, every ounce of his lust. She held on and wrapped her legs around his waist, tilting her hips to take as much as he could give. Kissing was abandoned, sweat dripped from his chest and ran down between them. Their tummies stuck together, yet the only thing Rey could focus on was the feel of him pinioning her body. 

"Oh, god, Ben," she cried, "mmmmmph!"

Deep in her belly, she felt a gathering, like a nebula condensing and stars flying together. Still, she doubted it, doubted herself. She had never been able to quite get there with penetrative sex. Yet, the feeling grew. She began to throb like she'd been statically charged by his friction. Her fingers dug into his shoulder.

"Unh, fffff-"

"Are you close, Rey?" he asked roughly.

"Mm, yeah," she moaned. "More, a little more..."

Ben kissed her neck and she felt his muscles beneath her fingers flex. He kept his rhythm steady and almost honed right in on exactly what she needed. She could feel him coming apart, however. Then, he let out a guttural groan and she was lost. Her inner galaxy pulsed and collapsed on itself and then released in an epic explosion. Her clit sparked and her breath hitched as spasms erupted from her cervix. She sobbed. She had never experienced that with anyone.

"Nnnnmmm, fu-uck, I can feel you coming," he grunted.

He didn't last another two thrusts. His body shook and he buried himself deep in her womb. She felt his balls contract on her bum and then an undulation along the length of his cock as he came. His hips jerked with each spurt of his orgasm.

"Rey," he breathed, "god, you s-slay me."

They laid there intertwined for several minutes until her groin screamed from his weight. She tapped his shoulder and he rolled sideways. He rested spread eagle for a moment with his arms splayed. Then he sat up, removed his condom and tossed it in the bin next to his bed. Rey flushed when his eyes found her again. She reached up tentatively and flicked a bead of sweat from his brow. His mouth stole sideways and kissed her inner wrist. His lips lingered there a moment. He closed his eyes and a tremor coursed his frame.

"I don't think I've ever paid attention when a girl came before," he murmured. "I mean, I know they have. I've just never experienced it like that. The flutters . . ."

Heat crept over her face. "Is that good or bad?"

Ben's eyes popped open and he frowned. "Are you kidding?"

He growled and scooped her next to him before flopping down. They ended up recovering in a spooning position with him nuzzling her neck. Rey felt tiny folded into his embrace. 

"I may have to make you do that again," he mumbled.

"You wrecked me," she responded with a soft laugh, "I don't know if I can do that right now."

"Mmm," his cock moved on her bum, "the morning, then."

Rey nodded. "Right, morning. Um, is there a spare room I should sleep in-?"

He snuggled closer and snorted. "You're sleeping with me."

She felt a little flip-flop of her stomach. She didn't argue, she didn't want to sleep anywhere else but in this veritable stranger's arms. Ben.

Ben-frickin'-Solo. Her mind raced.

"WARNING: DANGER AHEAD."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little glimpse of the past and the morning after.

_Two years ago:_

Rey's shoulders jumped at the blare of a horn. She glanced in her rear view mirror and sucked in a breath. She'd been distracted checking her mobile at the stop sign trying to find her the home of the parents of her new boyfriend. A giant, black GMC Sierra revved its engine behind her and flashed its lights. She slipped her foot from the clutch and stomped on the gas. Her car lurched forward and stalled in the middle of the four way intersection. She groaned and put the clutch back on as it kept rolling languidly. She tried to start the engine but it clicked, then sputtered. Her face flamed hot. Again, the truck laid on its horn.

"Oh, cool your jets, dickhead," she muttered.

Eventually, her little four cylinder turned over and she was able to set off. The truck followed impatiently. Rey didn't speed up, despite the tail. Most of the gates on that street were set back a bit and it was hard to read the house numbers. Behind her, the truck swerved back and forth. Rey lifted her foot from the gas. 

"Oh, wannabe race car diver, huh?" she grumbled. "You don't even know, buddy. You don't even know-"

When he honked his horn again, she rolled down her window, stuck her hand up and flipped him off. She was doing about 10 miles an hour by that time.

"Get the fuck out of the way, fucking Sunday driver," a deep voice bellowed.

Rey kept her finger extended and waved her hand back and forth. She knew it was stupid (and possibly dangerous) but her annoyance had every hair on the back of her neck standing up. She could only see red. Finally, the truck driver decided to pass. He gunned his engine and pulled out. She contemplated hammering her foot on the gas and racing him down the street but she knew her pathetic little engine was no match for his snarling V8. As he passed, she turned, stuck both fingers up at him and pumped them up and down for emphasis. He drove parallel to her for a few seconds, rolled down his passenger window and flicked his hand under his chin. She couldn't see much, just a ball cap over longish hair and a prominent nose and lips.

"Yeah, fuck you, you fucking hillbilly," she screamed at him and pointed down the road, "GO! Go on, go live your Nascar dreams, asshole."

The man shook his head and tore down the street. Rey's heart thundered in her ears. When the red taillights of the truck were well down the block, she pulled her car to the side to take a few deep breaths and settle down. Plus, she needed to check her map again as she was pretty sure she missed her turn in all the commotion.

Ten minutes later, she was still spitting mad as she walked down a long tree-lined drive towards a large Italian-style villa. She admired several fancy foreign imports on her stroll then nearly tripped over her feet when she came upon a big, black truck. Her nose scrunched and she grimaced at it. 

"Sierra," she muttered.

She waved her hand over its hood. It was still warm.

"Nah," she shook her head, "nah, it's gotta be a different truck."

She promptly forgot about the incident and joined the soiree in progress. 

A half hour later, her worst fears were confirmed as she fetched a few bites for herself and Marc from the self-serve appetizer station. Just as she reached for the last savory puff pastry, a large hand snatched it from under her fingers.

"I'll take that," a deep voice intoned.

She turned to glare at the thief and nearly dropped her plate at the site of an abnormally tall, broad shouldered fellow dressed entirely in black, one who she immediately recognized as the road rager by his distinct nose and full lips.

"You," she hissed.

His dark eyes narrowed. He stretched his neck. There was something wholly unsettling about him and Rey did not know how to process the manner in which her guts churned.

"I was going to eat that," she bit out.

The man stared at her for a few seconds, then, instead of placing the pastry on his plate, he stuffed the entire thing in his mouth and chewed.

"Mmph, yummy," he said between smacking lips.

Rey's nose wrinkled. "Pig."

"A hillbilly's got to eat, fam."

She snorted and continued down the table. She went to grab the last pair of mini quiches for herself and Mark but only managed to retrieve one while dickhead scooped the other. 

"Hey, fucker," she whirled and growled, "that wasn't even for me, that was for my boyfriend."

"Fetchin' his vittles, are ye, woman?" he mocked. "Well, I'll make sure he don't take the strap to ya. Yoink!"

The big brute lifted the first quiche right off her plate and plunked it on his own. "See there's a lesson in equality for you. Now, you don't have to beg his permission to eat that quiche. You both go without."

Rey heaved in a breath and shoved her plate at him. "You may as well take everything, I imagine you feel as entitled to it as you do the road."

He licked his lips and scrutinized her for a moment. Then he shrugged, relieved her of her plate of goodies and dumped them on his own. 

"Thanks."

With that, the big lout turned and strolled away. Rey stood for a tick with Marc's appys rattling in her hand and seethed. She looked back at the buffet but by that time, she'd lost her appetite. Her stomach contracted on itself as she was beset with a memory she hadn't thought about in years. Her foster brother Jordan used to steal and withhold her food without ever being held accountable. He seemed to delight in reminding her who the "real" children were in that particular house. She huffed out several breaths. She wondered if it was just her lot in life to continually run afoul of selfish trolls. Then she reminded herself she had Marc, Marc was a good guy.

If she had known that wouldn't be the last she saw of that particular aggravator, Rey would have left the party. However, when she brought Marc his plate of food, none other than Mr. "compensating for something" giant Sierra driver himself stood next to Marc and his sister Melanie. He appeared even more out of place adjacent to the petite Melanie who had dressed in a coral cocktail dress and strappy white heels. While Melanie was a much curvier girl than Rey, she was barely more than five feet tall. Rey realized pretty quickly by the way Melanie's pert, smiley face tilted up and her wavy brown hair cascaded down her back that her companion was a romantic interest. She clenched her teeth. For the first time since she'd met Melanie, she felt sorry for the girl.

"Hey, babe!" Marc interrupted her thoughts with a wide smile.

Rey thrust him his plate of eats.

"Aw, thanks, hun," he kissed her cheek. "God, I am starved. Hey, this is Ben. Ben Solo, right? Melanie's new boyfriend. Ben meet Rey, my gal."

Melanie laughed. "Ma-arc, we're just dating. Geez! Oh, not having any of the food, Rey?"

Rey shook her head as the Ben character squinted. His lip twitched. She looked away from the odd glint in his eyes. Despite his rather passive mask, there was something rather too intense about his purportment. 

"I'm good, thanks," Rey murmured. 

Melanie clucked her tongue. "Are you dieting? You don't need to diet! You're so skinny, you bitch! Ha, ha. God, I wish I could swear off food for awhile, though. My booty is getting a little too bootylicious."

"There's nothing wrong with you," Ben interjected, his eyes held Rey's for a flash then flitted to Melanie.

"Really?" Melanie lips poofed out and she kind of angled her bum at him.

"Really," he confirmed.

Ben had such a soft look in his eyes for Melanie and even though she could be grating at times, Melanie was sassy and dorky and charming so Rey completely understood how people could find themselves infatuated by the girl. Marc was cut from a very similar cloth, they were twins after all. He had the same dimpled smile, honey-brown hair and bright blue eyes. He wasn't nearly as tall as Ben, but he was a respectable five foot ten which worked for Rey as she would rather not feel intimidated by her partner. He was a wee bit podgy in the gut compared to Ben, though, and infinitely more talkative as he prattled on about his golf game from earlier that day-

She shook her head. She needed to stop comparing her awesome boyfriend to the hulking death-metal demon spawn in their midst. 

"What do you do, Ben?" Marc asked.

Rey's attention snapped back to the conversation.

"I'm a roofer. Just finishing my apprenticeship."

Marc's brows went up. He grinned at Melanie.

"Oh, Dad'll love that, heh heh."

Melanie flushed. She glanced up at Ben nervously.

"But he totally plans to own his own business one day so, like, he won't be a scrub forever."

Rey was confused for a moment. Then, she was back to disliking Melanie again, not that she cared if Melanie was embarrassed about Ben's profession in particular, she told herself. It was the principle! Melanie didn't even have a job. Rey turned a wary eye to Ben. He didn't appear phased by the insult. Melanie had called him a scrub! The three continued to talk. Rey was reserved by nature, but she felt especially isolated right then for some reason, and had trouble following the banter.

"Rey works for Amoco Studio Services," Marc chirped.

Again, she was pulled back into the conversation. "Huh? Um, yeah, well, it's helping me pay for my BA."

"What's the BA in?" Ben asked.

She inhaled a deep breath. She didn't want to talk about herself, not to this dude. She dreaded his judgement.

"Television, Film and Media."

He nodded. His face was infuriatingly blank.

"And what are you doing at Amoco?" he asked in a kind of bored voice.

She wasn't about to give him the full run-down of her unusual position, not when he didn't seem to give a hoot. She didn't think his mega-ego could handle the truth after their encounter so she decided to bend it. He crossed his arms as if he sensed what she was about to do and narrowed his eyes in challenge. Still, Rey fibbed because . . . because fuck this guy, she thought with an abnormal amount of hostility. She turned up her chin.

"I'm a chauffeur."

* * *

 

_Present Day:_

Rey peered sideways at the unruly mass of hair occupying the next pillow. Her hand rose to her mouth. Distant dreams of the past faded and she gaped at her present conundrum. 

Ben Solo - buffet and road scourge extraordinaire - was turned away from her, breathing heavily, and still very much asleep. Her eyes slid over his naked, hulking shoulder. Even in a relaxed state, she could see the fibers of his muscles strain beneath his skin. Her eyes counted several small moles across his back in addition to a jagged, stitched scar across one shoulder. She almost reached out to trace her fingers over it but closed them again quickly. The intimacy of seeing such a thing tweaked something deep down and suddenly, she had to flee. She inched out of the bed and retreated quietly. She contemplated pulling on her clothes and making her escape from his house but she still felt sticky and salty from the previous night's events. The discarded condom in the bin next to the bed caught her attention and her face burned. 

She tiptoed into his large adjoining bathroom. It was quite modern compared to the rest of the house. There was a contemporary slipper tub and huge, tiled walk-in shower with sprayers of every sort and even a built-in bench behind its glass walls. She grabbed a rolled up towel from a shiny chrome rack and hung it on a convenient hook near the shower. Gingerly, she pulled open the glass door and turned on the shower. For a brief interval she peered back and waited to see if she had awakened him. When he didn't appear, she stepped under the hot spray. She turned her face into it and stood there for a long time. As the water sloshed over her body, memories of the previous evening replayed like a smutty highlights reel.

"Grr!" She furiously pumped some shampoo from a bottle and lathered her hair.

Rey proceeded to scrub every inch of her skin as if the act might wash away the heady memories. She didn't feel regret, far from it, but getting a taste of Ben was like experiencing the rapture of a swirl of fresh buttercream on a still warm cupcake. She heard a noise and spun. Through a slightly foggy, dribbling screen, Ben ambled into the bathroom completely bare assed, of course. She felt her tummy tighten. His long legs were as firm and defined as the rest of his fit-fit-fitty mcFITness. Her thoughts were a blubbery mess.

"Mind if I join you?" his voice rumbled through the glass.

"Okay," she rushed out.

So much for indecisiveness! The door whooshed open and in he stepped. She peered up at him and scooted back to give him some room. He stepped under the spray, slicked his hair back, gargled some water and in the next instant, his meaty hand slipped around her back and pulled her against his wet, firm chest. He stared down at her, water dripped off his brow and lip. 

"You good?" he murmured.

"Mm hmm," she mumbled.

His head dipped. She didn't even wait for him to kiss her, she launched herself up and mashed their mouths together. Ben grunted and clutched her closer, his free hand cupped her bum and kneaded it eagerly. Water poured down her back and crack. Her hands greedily slipped over his back and bottom in return while their tongues copulated. The flesh between his legs engorged and swelled between them. 

"Mmmmmnnn, Rey. You're so fucking sexy."

She sucked in air. "I am so hot for you, Ben, I can't even think straight."

He kissed her again. His hand contracted on her back. Rough fingers rubbed into her skin. His hand was huge, spanning almost from one side of her waist to the other. Her insides flushed. There was something about the abrasiveness of his calloused palms that drove her wild. 

"Huh, god," he sputtered, "okay, I have to make up for last night. Here-"

Make up, Rey wondered? For making her come on a cock for the first time in her life? 

He urged her back towards the bench and directed her to sit. Then he angled the water at the wall behind her so that its warmth poured over her shoulders.

"Don't want you to get cold," he said in a low tone.

Next thing she knew, he sank to his knees, ran his hands up her legs and parted them without taking his eyes from her face. His face slunk further still and she realized what he meant to do.

"You don't have to-"

"I know," he murmured, "but I really _want_ to lick your cunt."

She trembled at the lust in his voice. She glanced at his groin. He wasn't kidding. She chewed her lip and relaxed her legs. Ben leaned way over and hooked her knee over his shoulder. Before she could take another breath, his mouth closed over her sex. She gasped and clutched at a nearby bar for support. Her hips bucked when his tongue stabbed in and stroked up her clit.

"God, yes," she moaned

One of his hands clutched her thigh while the other pulled her hips forward slightly. Again his tongue probed in and deliberately teased her most sensitive bundle of nerves. 

"Unh," she thumped her head to the wall, "oh, my, god."

Fingers pressed into her flesh. She felt her insides contract several times. His onslaught was relentless. At one point, he actually sucked her clit into his mouth and she cried out so loud it echoed off the bathroom walls. Over and over he flicked that spot with his tongue until she was lifting herself up and her hips were nearly off the bench. His hand splayed out over her torso. His thick, wet locks stuck to the inside of her thighs. She quivered all over. Her sex flushed with heat and the wash of arousal like he set off a sprinkler. Water dripped over her shoulders, between her breasts and pooled in her belly button. Eventually, the compulsion was too much, the throb too intense. She felt herself tip like a cup that was too full and her release spilled over. Waves of an orgasm crashed through her insides. Her raw, pulsing nerves peaked and broke like surf throughout her body. 

"Uuuunh, unh, Ben, Christ!"

She collapsed back down against the bench. Ben gathered her to his lap and kissed her gently. She could just taste the faint must of her arousal on his lips. There was something wicked and sexy about that. She swore through another spasm of her orgasm. His cock strained under her bum.

"Fuck that was so hot," he said hoarsely.

Rey hugged him about his neck and kissed him gratefully. His silky, moist strands stuck to her arms. His hands rubbed up her back and tensed slightly as his cock twitched.

"What about you?" she asked huskily. "What do you want?"

His palms slid up her bum and he supported her as he lumbered to his feet. She crossed her legs behind his back and clung to him like a lemur. His rigid flesh bopped upwards against her ass. Warm water spilled over them both. She squirmed against him. Excitement coiled her belly. She wanted him, wanted to feel his delicious stretch once more. 

"Mmph, I want to be inside you," Ben said gruffly. "I want to feel you cum on me again."

Rey smashed her mouth to Ben's and in turn, he stepped forward, pressed her against the wall and kissed her back hard. His stiff shaft found its way between them and he ground his erection against her torso. Her back squeaked on the wall. She felt the smooth tiles slip over her skin. Her insides quaked. She was gripped by a kind of insanity and shifted her hips. He was right there . . .

"We should use protection," Ben mumbled over her mouth.

"We should," she agreed breathlessly.

He thrust against her and groaned as his cock rubbed over her flesh. Rey was shaking in his arms. Her insides quickened. 

"Unh, Ben," she moaned, "Oh, fuck, please. I'm dying."

"Rey, d-don't tempt me."

She licked her lips. "You can just pull out, can't you?"

"WARNING: TERRIBLE FUCKING IDEA," her thoughts clanged.

A deep rumble reverberated Ben's chest. Rey felt his fingers bite into her thighs. Several seconds ticked by, any one of them she could have changed her mind, but the moment came when his eager helmet pressed at the heart of her and she did nothing to dissuade him. In fact she clawed at him as his body tensed and cried out greedily when he staked her against the wall with a driving thrust. It didn't hurt at all, but she still felt a bit stunned by his invasive pressure as if something over-inflated had taken up residence in her body.  He cursed and dropped his head to her shoulder as she adjusted to his searing claim. That pressure, she closed her eyes,  _his pressure,_  made saliva build up in her mouth. She whimpered when he drove again and she felt a vein slide through her entry.

"This is so bad," he rasped into her neck.

"Yes."

"Feels so fucking good."

Ben drove her up the wall with another stroke. The subway tile pattern pressed unyielding into her back. She held onto him so tightly she feared she was choking him but he continued to thrust over and over until she was sure the grout seams would leave marks in her flesh. His breaths scraped in her ears. The temperature of the water began to wane yet the only thing she could think of was the sensation of his flesh driving in and out of her body. He was indescribably hard, harder than the previous night if that was possible. She inhaled a shaky breath. There was nothing between them. Beneath the outer layer of his smooth skin, she could feel every ridge and ripple of his cock. She was playing with fire, she knew, and worst of all, the risk aroused her beyond belief.

"Rey, my god," he groaned. "Rey."

She felt another orgasm rolling towards her like tsunami. Ben's body vibrated beneath her fingers, his every breath labored. 

"Ben, I'm going to c-come," she whispered. 

She was already still humming from his cunnilingus so her second orgasm broke easily. She held fast to him and let it carry her away. Ben's body went rigid, then he withdrew. He gripped her tight but fell against the wall on his elbow. Beneath her, his cock jerked and he huffed through his release.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck-"

Rey's legs dropped from his waist. She touched down to the shower floor but remained pinned between him and the wall as he shook. His shaft pulsed next to her thigh.

"Eep," she held onto him as she slipped in a bit of something slippery on the tiles beneath her toes.

Cum, she realized and bit her lip. She was half a second away from it spilling into her core.

"Fuck," he swore again as he slid an arm around her waist to steady her, "that was dumb. So dumb."

"S-Sorry," she murmured.

He shook his head and kissed her forehead. "No, not your fault. Well, not entirely. We both should know better."

By this time, the water was getting quite chilly. They each rinsed quickly and exited the shower. Ben grabbed the towel from the hook, fluffed it out and draped it around her shoulders. His lips were a bit puffy, his skin flushed pink. He studied her for a few seconds with his deep, soulful eyes.

"You're so pretty," he said softly.

Her cheeks warmed and her tongue stumbled. "You are too."

He chuckled. "Thanks, I think."

He kissed her nose and retrieved a towel. Rey rubbed her lips together as she dried herself. A quiver stole through her frame. She couldn't believe she had begged him to for unprotected sex and he had obliged. She gritted her teeth and admonished herself several times. She wasn't on any kind of hormonal birth control. She could easily catch a case of the babies. Also, she reminded herself, she didn't know very much about Ben nor anything about his health status. She could have just picked up an STD. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Really dumb," she muttered.

"Yup," Ben said. "Rey-"

Whatever Ben was about to say was drown out by the old-fashioned gong of a vintage doorbell. Ben frowned. The doorbell gonged twice more in rapid succession. A hard recognition lit in his restricted eyes.

"And that would be Melanie," Ben muttered. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst, drama! I can't make this easy on our pair. Poor Rey, she hasn't had the easiest time of it.

Rey scrambled from Ben's bathroom to the bedroom to retrieve her clothes. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest. Melanie was outside Ben's house!

"Shit, my shirt!" Rey cried when she couldn't see it anywhere.

Ben jerked on some black sweat pants then retrieved a shirt from his drawer and tossed it her way. "You can wear this but . . . please, please, stay in the bedroom. If Melanie figures out you're here . . . it won't be a good scene."

She jabbed a finger at him and tried not to admire his hulking, heaving chest. He still appeared flushed, his lips soft and kissable. She pushed down a mix of protectiveness and gut-churning possessiveness. Fear rushed into the vacuum.

"You," she said between apprehensive pants, "you be cool, okay? Holy, crap, she's going to know just by looking at you that something is up. Don't sell me out. Don't fucking do it."

He frowned and opened his mouth to reply but the doorbell chimed again. He retrieved another black tee, yanked it over his head then looked at her one last time and sighed.

"I'll try to make it quick," he muttered and jogged down the stairs and out of sight.

Rey paced for a minute. When she heard a door slam, she moved closer to the edge of the stairs and strained to hear what was going on. Her heart sank when she heard the plaintive tones of Melanie's high voice. When she couldn't quite make out their words, Rey dropped to her knees and crawled to the open railing. She knew she shouldn't be listening, but curiosity won out.

"Baby, it was one time," Melanie cried, "I can't believe you're going to throw everything we have away over one small mistake. I was so drunk! I mean, he sort of took advantage of the situation-"

She heard Ben abruptly and loudly clear his throat. "Wait? What? Is that true?"

Melanie sniffled loudly. "Well, yeah, kind of-"

He dragged in a long, rattling breath.

"You understand that if this guy forced himself on you, Mel," Ben seemed to pause right then and take several more laboured breaths, "you understand that he will be found out in the desert outside of Vegas with the pointed end of my slate hammer buried in his forehead?"

Even Rey shivered at the deadly intent in his low rumble. She rubbed her lips together. Icicles formed deep in her belly. She'd never been molested but she'd had close calls as a foster kid. Her chest tightened. She wanted to vomit. Sleeping with Ben hadn't just been about their connection, a small part of it had to do with their mutual heartbreak and a need to reclaim something from the people who had inflicted their pain. Rey had even wanted a little revenge. If Melanie had been abused, Rey didn't know how she would forgive herself for jumping into bed with Ben.

"Mel, tell me," Ben pleaded in an anxious tone, "did he-?"

Melanie continued to babble. "I mean, you know how I get flirty and he just never asked if I was attached-"

"Mel," Ben's voice was so tender, "did he take advantage of you?"

Melanie growled and Rey heard a cupboard slam. "Hmph, fine! No! We just hooked up. The guy was such a mess afterwards, crying about his wife. He totally misrepresented himself all night, though. I never would have slept with him if I had known he was married!"

Finally, Ben's voiced broke with anger. "Are you fucking kidding me? _You_ had a boyfriend."

Rey's face flushed with heat from the sudden emotional whiplash as her guilt transformed to white hot anger. Her fingers curled into fists so tightly that her nails bit into her palms. She ground her knees into the carpet. She was not one to be physically violent but she ached to run down stairs and slap Melanie for playing mind games like that with Ben.

Melanie's voice dropped an octave and dripped with acidity. "Yeah, a boyfriend! Just a damn boyfriend. You know, maybe I was losing hope that you'd ever buy a ring and propose. Like, did you ever think about why I would do something like that? All my friends have gotten married recently and they keep asking when it's my turn. I keep making excuses for you-"

Rey heard the loud scrape of a chair across the floor. "Okay, you need to leave."

"Excuse me? We're still talking here!"

"Get. The fuck. Out of my house, Melanie."

"What? Ben-!" She started crying "-no, please, I love you, baby, honey. Please, please, I made a mistake, one mistake!"

"It's the only one that matters. Door's that way."

"Ben!" Rey heard feet stomp. "Ben! You can't do this to me. My friends will never let me me live this down."

Ben laughed with a snort. 

"Oh, my fucking god," he sounded muffled as if he spoke through his hands, "don't make me call the cops, I'm so tired."

"You wouldn't. You can't! I . . . I'm pregnant!"

He barked a laugh. "Holy, fuck, then you had better go track down Mr. Unfaithful there, Mels, cause I haven't fucked you since before your last period."

Melanie screamed in frustration. "Fiiiine! Fine, you piece of shit. You loser. Fine! We are done. You are going to regret this. One day, you'll see an engagement announcement and you'll be so sorry that you lost me."

"Nope."

She hurled another round of incentives at Ben. She held back nothing. From insulting his career, to his friends to his family, she spit out every malicious thought that entered her mind. At long last though, angry footsteps thundered away from the kitchen and the house shook with a resounding thud of the front door. Rey shrank back from the stairwell, stood up and danced on her toes. She idled at the foot of Ben's bed and twisted the end of his t-shirt in her hands. Awkward didn't even begin to describe how it felt when he returned. She didn't know what to do. His skin was pale and he looked drained but his hair had dried in beckoning waves. She longed to comfort him but didn't know how her overtures might be received. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes a little large.

Her heart skipped a beat. She wanted to melt. After all that, he was concerned for her peace of mind.

"I'm g-good."

He snapped his fingers and made a face. "Oh, shit, I meant to bring up your suitcase."

"Oh, god! Don't worry about it. I can get it!"

He shook his head and turned. Rey followed him all the way into the kitchen in protest. 

"You really going to haul this upstairs by yourself?" he asked with a weary smile. 

Rey shook her head and fidgeted with his shirt again. "'No, erm, I was just going to throw something on down here and save your the trouble of bringing it back down later."

A faint frown flitted over his brow. "You have someplace to go?"

She rubbed her arm. "Um, well, yesterday I was talking to this girl Rose who needs a roommate. She gets back from her sister's wedding today. I thought, I would check her place out and if we suit, maybe I can even move in straight away and get out of your hair."

_"Your gorgeous, luxurious hair-"_

He nodded. His eyes darted back and forth. He glanced around. Before he could speak again, there came a banging at the window on the kitchen door. Rey's stomach plummeted so swiftly, she swore it blew by her feet. When she looked over, Melanie's face glowered in at them like a vengeful gargoyle.

"I thought I saw a fucking suitcase!" she screamed through the glass. 

Rey was stunned silent. Melanie raged and slapped her palm against the window until it cracked. Ben jumped past Rey, pulled open the door and slipped outside. Melanie screamed at him, threw something and then ran down the side of the house. Ben followed. Her heart in her throat, Rey sprinted to the front window and peeked out the curtain.

"Hypocrite!" Melanie screeched. "You fucking dog!"

"Melanie-"

She spat on Ben. He wiped his hand over his cheek. The man had the patience of a saint. When he didn't react beyond stepping back, Melanie's rage collapsed and she fell to her knees bawling. Ben dropped down. Rey didn't catch what he said, but he murmured something to Melanie and unexpectedly, Melanie threw herself into his arms. He almost fell back but eventually steadied himself, embraced her, laid a hand on her hair and cradled her on his lap. Rey felt her heart fracture like the kitchen window. 

"WARNING," her brain flashed neon strobes again, "COMPLICATIONS AHEAD."

She drifted back from the window and reeled. Then, the berating began. Her inner demons descended like a hoard of mosquitoes to needle at her soul. Who was she in all this, they pricked at her over and over, who was she in this equation?

"Nobody," she sputtered and wiped away tears. "Nobody from nowhere."

Of course Ben and Melanie shared a connection and she knew better than anyone how hard it was to just to let go, especially when there was history involved. It was not like she had completely forgotten about Marc. Even in that moment, she was inundated by memories of him holding her when she cried, of his face hovering and whispering sweet words of encouragement. Her heart ached. She couldn't say she wanted him back, far from it, but in that moment it was bitter indeed to be the odd one out. She gulped in air. Again, she felt a hollowing in her chest and a flush as if everything within that space had been poached and cooled and sucked out with a shop vacuum.

She dragged her suitcase down the hall into the bathroom and changed into some bone-coloured capris and one of her own print tees. She carefully folded Ben's t-shirt and placed it on the counter. She stared at it a moment as she reached deep down into her strongbox of emotional tools and pulled out an old standby. It was a ritual of sorts, something she had done every time she left a really good foster home. She meditated on the highlights, painstakingly replayed all the sweetest moments, and tucked them into bed. Ben's arms, his scent, his deep voice-

"Take the good, leave the bad," she whispered, mentally drawing up a blanket.

The following day she would wake up somewhere new with a chance to start fresh . . . still, her eyes lingered on the folded top.

"Let it go," she mumbled. 

Two seconds later, she snatched his over sized black tee and stuffed it in her suitcase.

* * *

 

An hour later, Rey stared straight out the window of Ben's truck as they drove in the most awful, awkward silence imaginable. Melanie had eventually departed but in the meantime, Rey had arranged a ride-share, thinking that would be easier for all of them if she just made her own way over to Rose Tico's apartment. However, Ben had insisted on driving her there. Rey didn't really put up much of a fight. Truth was, even though she had known it would be excruciating, she was greedy for every extra second she was able to spend with him.

"This is it, I guess," he murmured when they finally stopped outside a three-story walk up, "looks decent."

His tone wasn't exactly sanctifying even if his words were meant to be. Rey peered at the vintage apartment building. It was a medium sized complex with a large courtyard and beautiful, legacy garden. There weren't too many properties like it anymore. She had kinda hoped it was a drug den or something so Ben might whisk her away again.

"A-Alright, thanks so much," Rey said brightly.

Ben's eyes slid sideways skeptically and he hiked a brow. "Yeah . . . I'm walking you up there."

She pursed her lips. "I'm a big girl."

He huffed air through his nostrils, unimpressed by her declaration. "Well, I'm bigger."

Again, Rey just went along with his grumpy chivalry. She wanted to be annoyed but secretly she was more than a little thrilled. She prepared herself anyway, though, for when he decided he was absolved of his responsibilities and left. However, he followed her into the building after she was buzzed in. He toted her suitcase up three flights of stairs. He hovered over her shoulder as she was greeted by the delightful Rose and shown around the apartment. He accepted some water. He sat at the dining room table as Rey got to know her new roommate. He stayed long past any moment Rey might have predicted his exit. 

Yet, inevitably the moment came when they occupied the corridor alone outside her new home. Rey struggled to find the words to thank him knowing that what came subsequent to that was a goodbye. She stood in his shadow again, only this time the sun shone through a window at the end of the hall at his back. His hair appeared like a crown. He was as handsome and mystifying as he had been the previous night. Her dark knight in black jersey cotton.

"Well?" he asked in a low tone.

She licked her lips. "Well . . . ah, thank-you, Ben, for everything."

He nodded. He smacked his lips absentmindedly and plucked at his shirt.

"You're welcome."

Silence followed. Silence lingered. She sighed. That was it. The moment had come. She had to bid him adieu.

"I-I don't want to keep you. Thanks again, really."

His chin dipped quickly. "Right, um, bye, Rey."

"Bye."

He nodded and turned but only took one step, whirled and loomed over her again. She was instantly lost in the liquid darkness of his eyes.

"Rey-" he crowded her up against the wall "-I . . ."

She began to quiver all over. He bent his head. His fingers landed softly on the bottom of her rib cage before his hand spread out over her stomach and around her waist. His mouth dropped to a hair's breadth from her own. His nose nudged hers. She chased his lips up but they were maddeningly out of reach. Again, he teased a kiss before he sucked in air and his lips finally captured her own. She clutched at his shirt and opened her mouth. He groaned and let his weight press her into the plaster as they kissed. It wasn't ferocious or overly demanding, yet there was a desperation to it that made her insides riot. She whimpered, wanting to cry, but just kept kissing him back desperately. After they were both rendered breathless, he broke away. 

"When can I see you again?" he murmured.

She heaved in air. Her lungs burned.

"Wh-When do you want to see me again?"

His eyes scanned back and forth over her face. "Now. Ten minutes from now. Later tonight. Tomorrow."

Her stomach did somersaults. "I should probably get settled in."

His chin bobbed up and down. "Right. Tomorrow? I'll text you."

Rey quickly agreed. "T-Tomorrow."

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another encounter from the past and a glimpse into Ben and Rey's "improbable" connection? Forgive them both for their caustic interactions. They are fighting this with all their might....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, this was just an excuse for me to insert some more delicious sexual tension into this story as well as drop a little something fun and parallel another famous bristly Star Wars couple. Like father, like son? heheheh
> 
> The promised "Tomorrow" will come eventually. :D

 

_One year ago....._

 

"Oof," Rey grunted as she slammed into something solid.

Her fingers spread out across smooth, slightly damp skin. A drop of water rolled down from the blazing flesh, then between her fingers and over the back of her hand. A muscle flexed beneath her fingers. She clenched her teeth and looked up into piercing brown eyes. _Ben Solo_. Melanie's annoyingly stoic, no-fun boyfriend. He was supposed to be up in the hot tub on the top deck of the houseboat inflicting his ill humour on all the others. He must have just come from there, she thought as she watched his locks shed water onto his shoulders. She feathered in a breath and tried to retract her fingers but her rebellious digits ignored her instructions for a tick. They were much too curious about the contrast of buttery soft skin stretched taut over a brick shit-house of a bod. 

"Do you always walk around staring at your feet?" he asked, his voice deep and sardonic.

He gave his head a shake and wiped water from his chest. She inhaled quickly and lifted her fingers one by one from over his ribs. She teetered back. Goosebumps sprang up across the skin of her bare belly like a rash. Her skin tingled all over. By the way her nipples tightened, she just knew they were more than obvious beneath the flimsy lycra of her bikini top. She fought the urge to cross her arms over her chest. She winced when she shifted and felt a lance of pain in her arch. Melanie had dropped her glass up top and Rey had been unfortunate enough to step on the only remaining sliver after it had been cleaned up.

"I-I have glass in my foot."

Ben's brows drew together and he looked down. His eyes glanced past her to the narrow corridor.

"I see that. You've left a trail."

Rey peered over her shoulder. Several spots of blood marred the surface of the hallway's white, acrylic floor. She sighed and looked up at him again.

"Could you do me a favor?" she asked. "Could you ask Marc to come down and help me? I couldn't get the shard out."

Ben's eyes narrowed. "No."

Rey's lashes fluttered in confusion. "Wh-What?"

His lip curled slightly. "Marc is hammered and fucking useless, as usual. He'll make it ten times worse."

"Marc's not useless!" she protested, her cheeks heated. "Oh, never mind, how about Melanie or, um, any of the others?"

He huffed. "She'll pass out at the sight of your blood and everyone else is drunk off their gourds. Here, I'll help you."

Her nose scrunched. She didn't want his help-

"Eep!" Rey squeaked as he bent and hoisted her up with his forearm under her butt. 

He flopped over his huge shoulder like a sack of potatoes and marched down the hall. His wet hair stuck to her side. She glowered at his firm, round butt and the two dimples above his low slung shorts as he walked. She watched a dribble of water run down his spine and disappear beneath his loose waistband. Her face burned.

"I can walk, jackass," she panted.

His harrumph jostled her whole body. "You've left enough biological hazard in the hall already. It's pretty gross. Plus, if Melanie sees it and pukes her guts out, you're gonna have to clean that up too."

She thumped his back with her fists weakly. "God, I really hate you sometimes."

He snorted. "I know, Princess."

"I'm not a princess . . ."

Ben walked her through a door and turned on a light. Next thing she knew, she felt a shift in inertia as she was heaved off his shoulder and slung onto her back on a bed. She laid there a moment. Her eyes jumped up to where Ben stood over the bed. She swallowed as his gaze flicked over her bikini-clad form. She watched his expansive chest rise and fall. Suddenly, her insides were churning with a strange awareness, especially upon seeing a glint of intensity in the depths of his pupils. However, before she could decide what it was, his appraisal shuttered and he turned and left the bedroom. Rey caught her breath, sat up and quickly looked around. He had brought her to his and Melanie's room in the houseboat. It smelled of him or whatever deodorant or aftershave he used. She wished she could say it was unpleasant. Instead, she gulped a deep breath of the scent. A short while later, Ben returned with a small first aid kit. He lifted his chin.

"Flip over."

Rey nearly choked on a breath. "Huh?"

He waved a hand at the bed. "Flip over. Lie on your stomach. The glass is in the bottom of your foot, right? It will be easier for me to deal with it this way." 

She pressed her lips together and frowned at him but he just stared back expectantly with brows raised. She capitulated with a sigh, scooted up the bed and laid on her stomach. Then she proceeded to quiver all over as she breathed in and out against the linens. She curled some of the duvet in her grasp. Her tummy twisted in knots as the end of the mattress sagged. Once again, her skin went berserk with goosebumps. She had never been alone with Ben before. She didn't know how to process the visceral consciousness he elicited in every cell of her body. She bit her lip when a huge, hot hand wrapped around her ankle.

"Your foot is tiny," he muttered.

Rey felt as if every millimeter he touched was on fire.

"I'm like a size eight," she babbled, "that's average . . . like so average that my shoe size always sells out first."

He lifted her foot back and she felt his warm exhalations on her sole. She heard the rip of a package.

"Gah!" she twisted in reaction to a tickling sensation as he wiped her foot.

"Hold still," he said gruffly.

She snorted and bit her lip. Again, he wiped and she jerked.

"I'm warning you," he growled, "I will sit on you if I have to and I am not light."

A high pitched whine escaped her throat. "Eeeeee, it tickles!"

"Not for long," he said under his breath. "Ready?"

"No, but fuck . . . do it."

In the next instant, Rey clenched her teeth and hissed as she felt a needling pain in her arch. She squeezed her eyes shut. It was like the stabbing went on forever. She was vaguely aware of his low tone as he murmured words of reassurance. 

"Got it," he finally declared. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Fine."

She relaxed her tensed muscles and slowly opened her eyes. His hand had slid from her ankle a bit and his thumb rubbed the side of her calf gently. She blinked wide-eyed at the bedside table and a watch with a simple black face, white markings and green canvas strap that appeared positively beat. The chrome had nearly worn off its brass body. She squinted at it, wondering if it worked, then the second hand ticked forward. Either he was super practical or extremely sentimental to wear such a relic, neither of which were things she could fault him for despite their rubbing one another the wrong way. Though, at present, he rubbed her the right way, she thought while his thumb swirled in circles . . .

"Almost done, just need to apply a bandage," Ben cut through her musings.

She sucked in a breath and with it, the delinquent nature of her thoughts. As soon as he applied a large bandage to her foot and secured it with some cotton wrap and tape, she rolled over and bounced into a sitting position. She felt her bikini strap around her neck loosen and slip and slapped a hand on her chest to stop it from flopping forward. 

"Crap!"

"Hmph, here," Ben muttered.

His fingers were on the back of her neck in an instant. She felt his large, rough pads gather each side of the top and pull up a bit. She tucked her lips in and silently swore repeatedly as her breasts were tugged up. If anyone walked in on them at that moment, they would have entirely the wrong idea. Rey glanced up at Ben. Her eyes were so large, they felt like they might tumble from their sockets. His head angled down at her, his lip twitched. His fingers lingered on the tie at her nape. He scanned her face. 

"Better?"

She nodded quickly. She wanted to thank him but her tongue had swollen in her mouth. It didn't help when his eyes dropped again and took in her form.

"Don't go prancing up there and hop into the tub," he said gruffly.

"What?" she cleared her throat. "I don't prance-"

He lifted his chin. "Yeah, you do and now that I think about it, I don't want you going in the tub at all this weekend."

Rey felt hackles climb her spine. His voice had a strange, grumpy timber to it. She didn't like to be ordered around by anyone.

"Why the fuck not?" she grumbled.

Ben's fingers skimmed down her back as he dropped his hand. "Because there are about half a dozen nasty infections you can pick up from a spa with a deep break in your skin like that and fuck, you'd be even slower on the damned roads if your foot got lopped off. Trust me, the world is better off-"

Her lips parted in indignation, then she clapped them shut and sprang to her feet. She bit back a cry as a throb radiated through her foot. 

"For fuck's sake," Ben muttered and scooped her into his arms. 

"Put me down!"

Skin, she thought wildly, so much skin touching her skin. Acres and acres of ludicrously warm, forbidden skin.

"In a second, your worship."

"Look, you cock, I am not a princess or 'your worship'," she protested as he marched her out of the room and down the corridor past the galley kitchen, "or whatever! I don't know where you get off-"

"I know where you do," he rumbled, his deep tone made her tummy flip-flop, "here."

She landed on her butt on a recliner in the main cabin. He rounded in front of it, gripped the arm rests and leaned into her space. He stared at her a moment. She couldn't decide if his expression was irritated or incensed. His dark eyes glinted dangerously. His lips and cheeks puffed out as he formed words. His hair swished forward.

"This is where you thank me," his gravelly voice was barely above a whisper.

Rey's lips pulled in a taut line. Of course she knew she should thank him, and she was thankful, but he made her bristle like a cop on a power trip. She tried to maintain her cool but his heat radiated off of him akin to an infrared lamp. She didn't want whatever he was doing to her, it was befuddling.

"Say it," he prompted, his cheek jerked in a spasm and his chin dipped. "Go on. Say it."

"Oh, my god," she rasped, "wh-why are you such an ass to me?"

His eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared.

"You haven't figured that out yet?"

She trembled in her seat. Suddenly, her inner self was scrambling back like a spooked critter. Deep down her subconscious recognized the look in his eyes but her conscious self panicked and leaped on the realization like it was an ordinance about to go off. 

"Thank-you." she sputtered. "Thank-you for your assistance."

Ben scrutinized her for a few more seconds then sniffed and pushed himself up. He grabbed a nearby ottoman, directed her to put her feet on it and pointed emphatically at the floor.

"Stay. Rest your feet. That's not a request."

She clenched her teeth and fumed as he clacked through cupboards. She crossed her arms and stared forward through the port windows to the lake beyond. He was infuriating, overbearing, a total jerk . . . 

Then she heard the swish of a pump sprayer followed by the sound of a cloth dragging over a surface. 

Ben was cleaning up her blood.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to see a little of Rey's unique occupation, the ex shows his true stripes, and well, I think you're getting the gist of why I called this story "White Knight in the City".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I always write happy endings for my romances, that's just a given, but that doesn't mean my characters and you all get to ride off into the sunset on fluffy clouds just yet. I have a few misunderstandings and boneheaded decisions that need to play out first. 
> 
> Alright! Let's stress them, hummmm?

 

 

 

 

Rey rubbed the bridge of her nose. The day felt like it would never end. Plus, it was hotter than Satan's arsehole after a colonic. She snatched a paper plate from the nearby caterer's table and fanned her face. She shifted on her feet. Her leather pants creaked. One half of her panties rode up her crack. She glanced around and upon seeing no one, jammed a hand down the back of her drawers and danced on her feet as she corrected the situation. 

"Ahem," someone cleared their throat.

She looked up to see Finn, one of the set's production assistants. His eyes were averted towards the ceiling but he appeared out of breath and overheated as if he had just run through a furnace. Sweat dripped down his forehead and over his brow. She gritted her teeth and quickly extracted her hand. Her cheeks singed with heat.

"Hey," she mumbled, "erm, it's fucking hot out, huh?"

"Ah, yeah, it is-" he sneaked a glance to ascertain her state and let out a breath of relief when he saw her hand was free "-'kay, yeah, Rey, Director Holdo sent me over to let you know that we're going to be delayed another hour due to a scaffolding issue."

She grimaced and tugged at the high collar on her tight leather top. Normally, her stunt driver outfits were a bit more practical but then again, she usually drove cars in scenes where she was easily edited out. This film required her to dress like the lead actress since she was riding a motorcycle.

"Uhg, crap. You realize I'm dying in this getup?"

Finn grinned and nodded. He gave her the double guns salute. 

"Yeah, but at least you look good!"

Rey's brow raised. Finn was a funny guy, eternally optimistic and guileless in his teasing. She couldn't help but grin ruefully back. 

She snorted. "I look like Carrie-Anne Moss' wax figure escaped from a Matrix display."

Finn stuck his lips out and lifted his shoulders. "Guys dig it."

Her nose wrinkled. "Gamers and teen boys dig it."

He sputtered a laugh. "Okay, whatever you say. Just so you know, though, Holdo is super appreciative of you agreeing to do this. I mean, you should have seen the takes we shot with Roberto. His shoulders made it look like Maya had gone through a Mr. Hyde transformation mid-scene, even with the wig. No amount of post-production was going to make that look right."

Rey chuckled. "Well, he is like six foot four-" she peered up at the sky with a thought "-god, they want to wait an hour? A whole hour? In another hour, we'll be losing light fast. Are they sure they're going to be able to get this shot tonight?"

Finn let out a long breath through his nostrils and shrugged. "Holdo is pretty hopeful."

"Hope springs eternal on this project," Rey mused.

He laughed. "Yup. Anyway, she wants you to stay in costume and be ready to go any second in case by some miracle the inspector gets here sooner. Can you do that?"

Rey double tapped her mobile to life and checked the time again. 

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Finn asked.

She shook her head. "Apparently not."

He nodded and excused himself again. Rey flicked through her apps and opened her messages but nothing updated anew. She swallowed back a knot as she read the casual enquiry she had sent to Ben asking about his day. She hadn't had a particular expectation of when he might get back to her after that mid-morning text, but as the hours passed without a reply, her heart had felt like it was being squeezed tighter and tighter in her chest. Her mind tumbled with thoughts. Should she have sent something a little more bold and flirty, she asked herself? Should she not have contacted him at all? Did he think she was desperate? She gripped the phone and glowered at it, willing it to bleep-

Then it did just that. The sudden jingle nearly shocked her into dropping her mobile like a hot potato. Instantly, her heart raced. Excitement coursed through her veins like a hit of adrenaline from landing the perfect jump. She quickly opened her messages only to have her stomach heave when she read it was from her ex.

 _Heard about you and Ben. Not cool. I've packed up all your stuff and want it gone. If you aren't here in an hour, I'm putting it all on the curb_ -Marc.

Despite the insane heat, Rey felt her skin go clammy. Her mobile shook in her hands and she thought it might vibrate out of her grasp. She didn't have many personal possessions, but the few things she had kept over the years were sentimental reminders of better times with the only foster father she'd ever had who attempted to be her dad, Luke. She swiftly tapped a reply.

 _I'm at work. Can't come that quick._ -Rey.

 _Not my problem._ -Marc.

 _Ffs, why do you have to be such a flaming nutsack?_ -Rey.

 _Idk. Why do you have to be such a whore?_ -Marc.

Rey sucked in a breath and hammered in her response so forcefully, she nearly broke her screen.

 _Fuck You! Fuck you! Fuck you, you fucking fuckwad. You cheated on me. YOU. You did that._ -Rey.

 _No, fuck you for having such an obvious crush on Melanie's bf the whole time we were together and making me feel second rate._ -Marc.

She sobbed as she was swamped with misery. Her face scalded with a burst of shame. She searched her memories. Had she done that, she wondered frantically? She poured over every recollection but in the end, while there had been something unsettling about Ben and he'd elicited moments of incomprehensible awareness in her at times, she had never consciously coveted him in a romantic way. At most, she'd found him physically alluring but she had never let herself go there emotionally. Love was a choice, she firmly believed, and she had chosen Marc. She had planned a future with Marc. 

 _Wrong. You're dead wrong. I loved you. I still love you but you hurt me so bad and he was there. I made a mistake, okay?_ -Rey.

She rubbed her finger along the side of her phone and shook her head as she awaited his reply. A deep crease tightened her forehead. She instantly wanted to take the message back. The more she stared at it, the more she realized she'd succumbed to her bad habit of placating his fragile ego instead of thinking her words through. She read her message again. It tasted sour upon her tongue even as she repeated the words. The truth was, she didn't love Marc anymore. She was about to send him a message saying as much when he texted her back.

 _Do you mean that?_ -Marc.

"Fuck no," Rey muttered.

 _I have missed you, babe. Come over. Let's talk and see where things go. I really do miss your body next to mine at night._ -Marc.

Rey's stomach turned at the thought of getting naked with him again. Melancholy welled within her and her eyes stung, but not for her ex. She was forlorn in the realization that her first experience with love had been an exercise in self-delusion. She had wanted so badly to belong and mean something to someone that she had gaslit herself into thinking a toxic relationship with someone so self-centered was the best she could do.

 _I think I should just come pick up my things for now. Okay? Please give me a bit more time. I can be there in three hours._ -Rey.

Her phone was silent for a almost a minute. Then, it buzzed in her hand.

 _Heartless orphan bitch. Your shit will be on the curb or you can check the bin. Idaf anymore._ -Marc

Rey cried out in frustration. Angry tears spilled out of her eyes. She sniffed and dashed them away but they kept coming. For several moments she struggled to catch her breath but ultimately, she made a decision. She wouldn't let Marc throw away her precious memories like trash. She turned and sprinted through the set.

"Finn!" She caught up to him near the towering ramp.

"Rey, hey, what's up?" he asked apprehensively.

She gulped a breath. "I have to go."

He made a face and peered around. "Crap, Rey. Crap!"

"I'm sorry, it's an emergency. My . . . uncle, um, he fell off a fence . . ."

Finn crossed his arms and his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're lying to me right now, aren't you?"

She nodded weakly. He sighed, shook his head and glanced toward Holdo. He inhaled a deep breath. He placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in conspiratorially.

"I'll cover for you, okay? We all know this thing isn't getting done tonight no matter what they say."

Rey hugged Finn impulsively. "Thank-you! I will make it up to you, I swear!"

"Go! Go do what you gotta do."

* * *

 

After a frantic drive across the city and just as promised, a pile of Rey's things sat on the curb the moment she pulled up to her former high-rise apartment building. She jammed on the brakes and screeched to a stop next to them when she saw a figure hunched over one of the open boxes.

"That's mine!" she cried as she jumped out of her Hyundai. "Those are mine."

A withered old lady with wild, grey hair and dressed in a faded neon green track suit swung an aluminum walking stick in her direction. The whites of her eyes popped in the fading twilight of dusk. She made a strange, drawn out sound like a strangled cat.

"Mine, these are. Found them, I did," she croaked and scooted around behind the pile.

Rey's eyebrow shot up, the old dame was surprisingly quick on her feet. She wondered if the woman was on drugs or something.

"Nuh, uh, the boxes say 'Rey' on them. These are mine. Look!" She whipped out her ID.

The old woman scoffed and jousted her cane again. "See that, I can't. Dark, it is."

She snared one of Rey's model cars from a box and started bopping it on the side of it.

"Hey," Rey wagged a trembling finger, "careful, it's fragile!"

"Meh," the lady tossed it back in the box, "junk! What does one do with such things?"

Rey huffed and fished her wallet from her purse.She waved it around.

"Fine! Yeah, it's all trash. That's why it's out here. How much for the whole lot?"

Suddenly, the woman straightened out and whacked her stick on the sidewalk. "Oh, mean you to bargain? Hmm, hee hee hee hee . . . fifty then."

Rey's mouth fell open. She snapped it shut again and gritted her teeth.

"All I have is a twenty." She fluttered the bill.

The old woman squinted at her for several seconds then hobbled closer and snatched the money. She leered at Rey one last time and cackled as she shuffled down the sidewalk. Rey shook her head and turned back to her belongings. She frowned ruefully at the stack. There was much more than her little car could manage. She swallowed a miserable lump in her throat. She was going to have to decide what she would keep and what she would have to leave behind. 

Twenty minutes later, she had stowed what she could in her little car and found herself staring longingly at the remainder of her modest existence piled on the concrete. She tugged at her leather gear again, she was practically marinating in her own sweat but thankfully, the sun had finally set. Though, in the waning light various interested folks had drifted by, some more than once. She smeared away more sweat and tears. She was about to abandon what was left of her things when a vehicle lurched to a stop behind her car and blared the horn. She peered over her shoulder.

Ben in his big black douchey, sexy as fuck Sierra.

She felt misery contort her face and turned away slightly as she struggled to maintain some semblance of cool. He hopped out of his truck dressed like he had just come from work. He wore loose, dusty black Carhartt pants and a black tee with "First Order Roofing Co." printed in grey lettering as well as a ball cap with a circular, winged symbol on it. Unlike the last time he had come for her, though, he left his hat affixed firmly to his head. Her perusal flitted to his face. A stubble covered his jaw, the brim of his hat cast a deep shadow over his face. His expression was maddeningly elusive. He gingerly stepped onto the sidewalk.

"Hey," he dipped his head.

Rey nodded and cast her eyes to the concrete. She kicked at a discarded cigarette filter. When she glanced up again, he was surveying the scene with obvious irritation.

"Why didn't you call me?" Ben asked gruffly. 

Her shoulders tensed. Her cheeks went hot and cold at the same time. She wanted to scream.

"Because . . . because this is fucking embarrassing," she seethed, suddenly angry at the world.

He crossed his arms and lifted his chin. His eyes glinted pensively beneath the brim of his hat. She just caught the way he quickly surveyed her and his eyes widened at what she wore.

"Why would you be embarrassed to ask for my help, though?"

Rey wiped her hands over her face then flung them up impotently as she searched for the right way to explain how pathetic she felt. She had been a reject and a burden her whole life. She thought she left that behind when she'd gotten together with Marc. Yet, there she stood, once again, discarded alongside the meager sum of her existence like so much rubbish.  Most humiliating was being in dire need of help and not having any family or bosom friends to rely upon. Ben Solo was the last person on Earth she wanted to witness her humiliation. He'd never, ever seen a side of her that had been anything but defensive and on her back foot.

"A-Aren't you getting sick of coming to my rescue? " she asked, her voice almost cracked.

He stared at her a moment. His eyes constricted and he shook his head.

"No."

She pressed her lips together and squinted up at him as he took a few steps closer.

"H-How did you know I was here?" she asked.

Ben sighed and retrieved his mobile from his pocket. He tapped it awake and flicked through some screens. When he turned the phone towards her, she saw a grainy picture of herself and her pile of boxes from a downwards angle. Rey swallowed and looked away. The figure in the photo was thinner, more waif-like and not at all the athletic, capable person she had hope she presented.

"Pretty sure Marc sent this to Melanie to gloat and of course, she forwarded it to me."

Rey experienced a plummeting sensation as if the ground had sluffed beneath her feet. Whatever remnants of dignity she thought she had left evaporated with the sight of that picture. She couldn't look at Ben. Her lungs began to feel heavy and it hurt to breathe. Then, when she thought the moment couldn't get any worse, she heard Marc's angry shout.

"Well, would you look at this shit!"

She turned and grimaced at the spectacle of her ex slapping his flip flops on the sidewalk as he stormed up to them wearing too-long jean shorts and a white tee printed with gold filigree. When she peaked back at Ben, his chest puffed and he frowned. He stepped around her to confront the angry inteloper.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Marc spit out as he stopped just under Ben's nose. "She call you and tell you some sob story?"

Ben just stared down at him with an expression like he had just tasted something terrible.

"Go back inside, Marc," his voice was deadly calm.

"Oh, she's playing you, you moron," Marc spat, "she's fucking playing you and you're too dumb to see it."

Ben licked his tongue over his teeth and flicked the brim of his hat up. Rey gulped back surprise at the fury in his eyes. His lips deliberately emphasized his next words.

"I said, go back inside."

"Oh, yeah, or what? What are you going to do?!"

Rey sprang into action. They both looked like wound up springs about to explosively unfurl. She wriggled her way between them.

"Stop! Marc, stop! Ben, don't!"

Marc glowered at her with a fire she'd never seen in his eyes before. Everything seemed to slow down right then. Marc grabbed her and she felt herself propelled sideways. As she spun, she caught a glimpse of Ben rising up like a grizzly. Next thing she knew, his shoulder heaved, his arm snapped out and his fist landed with a crack that echoed off the stone siding of the high rise. Marc stumbled back and fell on his butt with an 'oof'. 

"Holy shit," Rey whispered, she managed to find her footing.

Marc cradled his jaw and glanced wildly between them. He hurled several slurs at her and then turned his attention to Ben again. With shaking hands, he sat up, took out his mobile and sneered.

"You think you're special, you big dumb prick? Want to know what she texted me just an hour ago? Huh? She wrote,  _'I still love you. I made a mistake!'_ She's just a loser orphan bitch looking for a free ride, dude, but whatever, you two deserve each other."

Ben took a step towards Marc. The smaller man didn't wait around. He scrambled up and hurried back towards the apartment tower as if the hounds of hell nipped at his heels. When he was back inside, Ben pivoted. He briefly glanced at Rey before grabbing a box. His face was a mask again.

"Ben..."

"Let's get this stuff in my truck," he said curtly. 

Rey wanted to say something but he had already grabbed the next box. She exhaled a sharp breath and rushed forward to assist him.

It took Ben all of two minutes to pile the rest of her things in the bed of his truck and close the tonneau cover, though. He wiped the back of his hand across his forehead.

"Remember where I live?" he asked. "Actually, doesn't matter, just follow me."

She blinked at him. "I don't understand. Why would we go to your place?"

He checked his wristwatch, the one she had seen him wear a million times before.

"It's past ten, Rey. You think your new roommate is really going to appreciate you moving more stuff in at eleven on a Monday night?"

Rey's nose wrinkled and she rubbed her arms. She sighed.

"No."

"Exactly. Follow me. I'll make sure I take it easy so you can keep up. Wouldn't want to lose you in traffic."

Rey opened her mouth in retort but closed it again just as swiftly.

One day, she reminded herself, one day he was going to learn why they referred to her as Lightspeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're enjoying this story, let me know! I would appreciate any love you send my way. Even a smiley face in the comments would be awesome after this hellish week I've been having! Cheers and thanks so much for reading my escape from the world.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back at Ben's house, these two can't help falling victim to their respective limbic systems. 
> 
> Ooookay, mild "domination" play here (like really, it's barely notable but I thought I'd mention it). If you've been paying attention, you'll have noticed my silly easter eggs for Star Wars. Well, the main implements in this chapter harken back to a scene where Rey, ahem, "came" to Ben willingly in TLJ. Heheheheheh

 

 

Rey pulled her car into Ben's drive behind his giant truck. Her thoughts drifted as she stared at the back of it. He had put a lift in it, an uncommon modification for the city. It was more something country folks did which made her wonder if he was from somewhere other than Los Angeles. Then she began to wonder about his upbringing and his parents. Her eyes twitched in bewilderment. She knew so little about him. Why was she at his house again, she asked herself? 

The blinking off of his taillights in her periphery snapped her back to attention. She glanced up to see the man himself stroll back from his truck. She huffed a humorless laugh at herself when her insides began skipping about like an excited terrier. As if rationality at all entered into her thought process whenever she was in his presence. Ben Solo had a connection directly to the limbic region of her brain which consistently overruled any conscientious objections she might have in favor of every dirty, greedy, lusty need. She drew in some air and rolled down the window.  He leaned on her cab.

"Swing 'round my truck and park in the garage," he murmured. "Your car will be safe in there tonight. We'll take your stuff over to your apartment tomorrow."

She rubbed her lips together. So, he meant for her to stay over again . . .

He didn't wait for her to acquiesce. She watched in frustration as his broad-shouldered form walked away. Of course, she was grateful for his help but she was vastly confused. He hadn't contacted her at all that day. Then there had been the tussle with Marc. Did he just feel sorry for her or did he actually want her there?

Rey sighed. Either way, she mused, it was too late to do anything different. Once her car was parked and secured in the garage, she followed Ben into his kitchen. His first order of business was to sit back against the peninsula in his kitchen and fold his arms. She watched his considerable biceps flex beneath the hem of his tee's sleeves. He kept his chin angled down but she saw a glint that betrayed his perusal of her form. She stepped back and mirrored his stance on the opposing counter but her leather clad butt squeaked against the edge of the quartz countertop. She flushed.

 _"Oh, of fucking course!"_ she thought with slight embarassment.

Ben cleared his throat. "That's quite the get up."

Rey blew a strand of hair that escaped her low ponytail out of her eyes. "I had to make a pretty swift exit from work."

His lips poked sideways. "I see, okay, so . . . what are you, like . . . an exotic chauffeur then?"

Her cheeks warmed. "Really? That's where your mind goes?"

He shrugged and then stretched his shoulders and elbows back before cracking his knuckles. His eyes slid up from her toes again.

"I mean, it goes there anyway whenever I look at you," he murmured, "but this is like an accelerant."

Rey's heart palpated. The field of energy about him seemed to expand and she felt a pull in her lower belly. She swore the shadows around him had suddenly started dancing like disco sex demons. A shiver of anxiousness shook her shoulders and her self-protectiveness kicked in. She hugged her arms closer. However, she couldn't stop looking at him. His gaze was magnetic. Several times, their eyes met and each time, the heat within her flared. In the past, she had thought his face a little too disproportionate, too exaggerated, but his unique features  had come to displace every measure of masculine beauty she'd ever held. Right then, she just wanted to feel his formidable nose bump against hers and his too generous lips envelop her own. She wanted to kiss across his prominent brow to smooth away his ever present scowl. His lips jumped under her scrutiny. 

"Rey," his voice was barely more than a hum, "About today-"

"It's all good," she blurted, terrified of his explanation for mobile indifference, "it's all good. Um, sorry, do you mind very much if I use your shower? I need to get out of this outfit."

She knew her words were too rushed, her voice too warbled, but she was spiraling into an anxiety attack. She wanted so much to get a hold of herself, to make the  _right_ decisions where he was concerned. He could have a perfectly reasonable explanation for the dearth of contact. He could have been super busy, or in an area with bad reception or a myriad of other valid disruptions . . . but deep down, she knew she wouldn't believe a single explanation and not because she expected him to lie. Her self-esteem was in the toilet. She even recognized the familiar chemical feel of it in her brain, the way her insecurities and doubt loomed over her every thought. She desperately needed to be alone for a few seconds to wash away the day and figure out what she wanted.

After a few seconds, Ben's lips pulled in and he nodded. "Of course. Yeah, I need to do the same. Why don't you go on up to my shower and I'll rinse down here?"

Not surprisingly, even as her thoughts were trying to come unglued, she experienced a pang of disappointment over the downgrade to separate showers. She wondered if Marc had been successful in instilling doubt about her in Ben's mind.

She cleared her throat. "Okay."

Upstairs a few minutes later, she peeled out of her sweaty sausage casing and stepped into the shower off his bedroom alone. Rather than wash the day away and clear her mind, she was beset with memories of their glorious copulation in that very same stall a day and a half previous. She squeezed her eyes shut and sputtered a growl into the spray she'd set at a punishingly cool temperature. Still, she felt his phantom slippery skin rub against hers, tiles press into her back and the slide of a cock into her body. Her toes curled. Her nipples tightened. She would never forget the way it felt when his shaft readied to release, how there was a sudden stiffening and a ripple inside her before he'd dragged it out and emptied into the shower basin. How his cock, still pulsing his release, bobbed up and down against her thigh.

"Fuck," she whispered.

She slammed the knob flat and killed the spray. She stood there for several moments with her eyes closed as she coiled her hair tight to rinse the excess water. She twisted and twisted it until she felt a few follicles pull from her scalp. She stifled another groan. God help her, if he made any kind of advance, she was going to tumble right into bed with him.

She toweled herself off in the bathroom on his fuzzy, cream shag rug then wrapped the fabric about her and tip toed out into the main part of his room to raid his dresser for something to wear. When she didn't see Ben, she pulled open the top drawer in search of a tee. Instead of clothing, she found herself staring down at a box of condoms, a bottle of lube, what looked like a small cat-tail whip and some soft cuffs among his socks and underwear. She picked up the cuffs. They were constructed of wide, black leather bands with black fur lining connected by stainless chain link. In the middle was a kind of carabiner hook.

"Holy hell," she whispered.

"Those were a gag gift," Ben's deep voice rolled across the room. "I've never used them but, well, I've never had the inclination to throw either out."

Rey stifled a yelp, dropped the cuffs and slammed the drawer shut. She whirled but didn't realize she had also closed her towel in the drawer. Next thing she knew, the towel was ripped from her body and she was naked as all get out. She gawped at Ben who was swaddled in little more than a plush grey towel about his hips. Her face lit with heat and proceeded to ignite the rest of her flesh in a full body blush. She reached down and tried to yank the towel free but it stubbornly stuck. She groaned and made the mistake of glancing at Ben. He rubbed his lips together. His eyes narrowed. He absentmindedly stroked his fingers just under his ribs across his stomach. 

_"Oh, fuck, oh, fuck, oh fuck, the way he's looking at me-"_

And he just had to be beautiful, the bastard. His skin was slightly pink from his shower. His hair curled with moisture and glistened like the wings of a raven catching the light.

"Do you really want to get dressed?" he murmured.

Her fingers stilled. She caught her lip between her teeth as her belly trembled. He had that knowing glimmer in his eyes again. She met his gaze and shook her head slowly.

"N-No."

"Neither do I," he replied, his voice rough.

His eyes slid over her frame, lingered on her breasts and legs. Her skin became an instant field of goosebumps as he deliberately strode forward. She braced herself on the dresser when she looked up into his bottomless pupils. He placed his large hands either side of hers and leaned into her space. The terri cloth of his towel brushed against her knees and thighs. His mouth descended but then stopped just shy of a claim.

"I am surprised you didn't run screaming from here when you saw those cuffs," each syllable puffed against her lips.

She inhaled a shaky breath. "Th-Those don't scare me."

He chuckled. "Oh? You've used some before?"

Her tummy did a jig in her abdomen. "Um, no."

He pulled back a little and scanned her face. "Ah, but you wanted to . . ."

Rey's heartbeat exploded like a horse out of racing gates. Her sex flushed with arousal. She imagined herself with her hands stretched above her head while Ben lavished attention on her body. He had guessed correctly because in her most secret fantasies she had imagined being at the mercy of a lover, of someone exercising control and making her submit to her own wants and needs. She had always thought that allowing someone to have that control like that over her was a twisted daydream, dark and immoral, but the way he looked at her in that moment, it didn't at all feel that way. 

"Did you, Rey?" his lips hovered again, his voice was ridiculously gentle. "Did you fantasize about someone restraining you?"

She swallowed. "M-Maybe."

His breathing grew heavy against her mouth. "Hmm . . . huh, fu-uck. D-Do you want me to do that to you now?"

The rattle in his timber was making her all kinds of excited. He sounded a bit in awe but also horny, hopeful- 

"Oh, fuck yes," she sighed.

Ben's lips swooped down and captured hers in a furious embrace. He yanked off his towel and pulled her against him as she kissed him back with equal frenzy. Rey slung her arms around his neck and practically mounted him in a desperate need to feel his every millimeter along her length. His hands pressed into her back and gripped her bum. Their mouths opened and tongues came together. It wasn't long before his formidable erection seared her belly like a branding iron. He murmured a curse, held her against him and picked her up just enough to lift her feet from the floor. He walked her back to the bed. They kissed again with hands in hair and torsos grinding before he lifted his head. He sucked in air.

"Holy fuck, you better lie down before I just bury myself in you."

Rey feathered in a breath. She almost shrugged. That wasn't a bad option-

He suppressed a grin. "Lie down, you letch."

Her nose wrinkled as she tried not to laugh. She plunked down and pulled her feet onto the bed as he watched. Her stomach rioted but she slid one leg out then the other. Slowly, she reclined, holding his sweltering gaze as best she could. Her chest felt like it weighed a tonne as she breathed in and out. Ben reached for his top drawer and tugged it open. Her wayward towel fell to the floor. He retrieved the cuffs and dangled them for a moment. The metal link flashed in the light from the bedside table.

"Are you sure?" he asked softly. "Don't just agree to this because you think it might be something I want."

She shook her head against his pillow. "I-I  _want_  to try it."

Ben nodded, pulled the box of condoms from his drawer as well and set them on the nightstand.  He then sat adjacent to her, causing the bed to dip. She poked her hands towards him with her wrists facing together (almost a little too eagerly). His fingers skimmed up her belly and lightly grasped one of her wrists. Again, he lifted his brows as if seeking permission. She nodded. The tips of her ears were on fire. She was mortified but so, so aroused. He slid a cuff over one hand with intense concentration before tightening and fastening the leather strap. He slid a finger underneath and wiggled it. It felt secure but not uncomfortable.

"Is that okay? Not too tight?"

"It's good."

Ben repeated the process with her other hand. When the cuffs were in place, she jerked and yanked at them a bit to test their hold. There wasn't a lot of give. She rubbed her lips together to stop herself from grinning. She was much, much too excited. 

"Still good?" His brow raised. "I can take them off-"

"No, I . . . I like it." Again flames licked through her flesh.

Ben puffed some air through his lips and ran a hand through his locks. He closed his eyes a moment. When he opened them again, they almost smoked like a cast iron pan that had gotten too hot. He trailed a finger over the leather.

"I'm not going to bullshit you, this is fucking  _hot_."

Rey stretched her hands back towards the metal bed frame. Her small breasts perked on her chest. His lips parted as he watched and swore.

"You gonna clip me or what?" she asked, suddenly emboldened.

He wiped a hand over his face, sucked in a breath and reached up to affix her cuffs to the frame. She felt his elbow brush her nipple. A satisfying snap of the hook secured her wrists. She pulled at them. Her lower belly quivered. She had never felt so restless in her life. She needed him to touch her, to run his hands everywhere. Again, her sex quickened with a sting of moisture.

Ben spread a hand out over her abdomen. His fingers trembled.

"Rey, at any time, _any time_ , I mean it. If you don't like this, just tell me to stop. Just say stop or no. Knee me in the balls even. I don't care, okay?"

"Okay."

His chest rose and fell with another deep breath. "What would you like me to do?"

She chewed her lip. Her feet rubbed together against the linens. It struck her just how much she trusted him, she had zero fear he was going to do anything she didn't like. 

"To be honest, I never thought it through that much. Um, I don't know . . . just touch me?"

He dipped his chin. For a few seconds, he stared down at her body. His shoulders flexed. Then, he began his exploration. At first, he stroked her flesh. His hand traveled up her side and across her collar. Then, his fingers slid between her breasts. He mapped every inch of her torso and legs to her knees before his head descended. He looked into her eyes, then, he closed them and his lips suckled onto a nipple. She arched her back, pulled at her cuffs and felt the satisfying jerk of their restraint. Her legs drifted open, her sex was too warm, too confined. The pull of his mouth on her breast sent tingles right to her core. His hand slid lower. She cried out when it sought her cleft and a finger pushed inside. She loved it, loved feeling vulnerable . . . loved feeling as if she belonged to him, even if it was just in that moment.

"Unh!"

He stroked in and out of her sex as his lips tugged on her nipple. His thumb rubbed circles against her clit.

"Fuck, Rey, you're so wet," he breathed on her chest. "Do you want more?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yesss. Oh, god."

A second finger joined the first. The stretch soothed some of her ache but she thrust her hips into his hand all the same. He pumped his large digits in and out. Her hips began to rock with the motion. Tension built in the pit of her abdomen. His mouth closed over her other nipple and he continued his penetration. She whimpered when she felt the first wave of an orgasm trying to crest. Ben withdrew his fingers and climbed onto the bed. He gripped her hips and pulled her until her arms strained and then his head dove between her legs. His tongue greedily sought her clit. Over and over it lapped her bundle of nerves until it and she was almost sobbing. He kept at it until her cries reached a fevered pitch. She thrashed on the bed. The strain on her limbs, the pressure in her abdomen, the ache between her legs . . . she was so close, so close . . .

"Ben! Fuck!" Her legs shook.

His tongue movements slowed. He sat up and wiped his mouth.

"Hmm, sweetheart, I am not going to let you cum yet. You belong to me right now and I'm greedy, that's mine . . . _you're mine_."

Rey widened her legs and lifted her hips. "Then do it!  Fuck me! Aarg. You're killing me!"

He wagged his head and reached up towards her cuffs. He unsnapped them as he loomed like sin incarnate. His cheek twitched.

"Roll over."

She raised a brow. He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose.  His eyes glimmered. He slipped the pillow from beneath her head.

"On your stomach," he growled playfully with his lips curving up at one corner. 

Rey suppressed a smirk but complied. She felt the calloused skin of his hand slide over her bum and up her back before he stuffed the pillow under her hips. He grabbed her by the cuffs and clipped them to the bed frame once again. She turned her head sideways and blew hair from her face. She was beyond excited at the thought of him taking her from behind. She tweaked her bum up. Cool air tickled over her rear.

"Do it!"

"Who's in control here, again? Patience!"

Ben's hands kneaded her cheeks. She chewed her lip in anticipation. He leaned over her and stroked his shaft between the curves of her arse several times. His flesh was hard, hot, thick, and raw. His heavy thighs pressed hers down. He groaned.

"Fuck, Rey, fuck. All I've thought about is how you felt around me, how excited and wet you were. I jerked off twice today and it wasn't even satisfying."

She pushed her bum back against him. She was vibrating from head to toe. She just wanted him inside her again. 

"Every time I close my eyes, you're there," she whispered. "Even in my dreams."

He cycled his hips and she felt his veiny flesh slide along her seam once more. "Mmmmnnnn, god."

Rey angled her bum up as much as she could. "Fuck me, Ben. Please."

"I haven't put a condom on yet-"

"I know."

Ben's breaths grew ragged. "That would be us being dumb again."

"I know."

"Fuck."

His blunt head pushed against her folds and nudged insistently at her warmest, wettest spot.

"Fuck."

Everything in her cried out for him then. She closed her eyes. He prodded but almost slipped out of place. His forearm flexed at her side as he braced himself on one arm. He rubbed the tip of his cock through her folds until it was slick and she felt pressure build. When it had found its target, his other hand hit the bed and she felt her ribs squeezed between his arms, his body tensed on top of hers and suddenly, the ridge of his helmet popped through her entry. He inhaled a quick breath and began to relax and ease inside. His girth pushed her cheeks apart as down, down, down he went. She moaned against the mattress at the way her body yielded to accommodate his girth. At long last, his hips ground up against her cheeks, some of his weight settled on her and she felt the coarse hair of his stomach on her backside. When he was fully immersed, a quiver coursed through his body. 

"Rey, hu-uh, g-god, I love . . . I love your body. Mmph!"

He rocked his hips and thrust his rugged flesh home. Her eyes flew open but then rolled back in her head when he stroked again.  Her fingers curled over the metal bed frame. He was so large. She didn't know how he fit, but he did and the way he filled her was like heaven. She couldn't believe he was inside her again and there was nothing between them. Her tummy tightened. They were being so reckless.

Rey had little time to dwell on the moment, though. Once he began to move, she was completely at his mercy. Over and over he rutted into her from behind, plumping her cheeks and driving her up the bed. Soon, the metal frame creaked like a squeaky wheel while he plunged into her body at a breathtaking pace. She kept gulping back saliva and trying to catch her breath. The links of the cuffs clacked against metal. Over and over he thrust until she felt her burgeoning release flare up. She concentrated on that point, reached for it and let the feeling of an almost unbearable pleasure overtake her senses. Finally, the throb reached a apex and she careened over the edge. Ben grunted and stayed within her as she came beneath him with a guttural cry. Her tummy contracted with a spasm and she trembled under his heavy frame. Inside her, his shaft jerked. Ben swore and pulled out. Hot liquid spurted from his pulsing tip and spilled over her crack and into the small of her back. Some of it even shot up between her shoulders.

"Fuck!" He trembled through several spurts. "Shit."

He collapsed sideways with a curse. When Rey turned her head to glance at him, his hand was over his eyes. She watched his chest rise and fall rapidly. As if he sensed something, he peeked out between his fingers. His eyes shone with bewilderment.

"Fuck, Rey, I'm sorry. I think . . . I think I didn't quite make it that time."

He reached for the cuffs and unsnapped them from the bed. She was stunned for a second. She pulled her elbows back.

"Did you cum inside me?"

His lips pulled taut. He nodded curtly.

"Yeah, a little, I think. Damn, I'll get you a towel."

Then he was up. A few seconds later, he returned to wipe his ejaculate from her back and bum. She sat up and placed her still-cuffed hands on her lap as he dried his shaft. Ben kneeled in front of her and tugged the straps loose with trembling fingers.  His dark brows were drawn together slightly, his lips were slack. Once her hands were freed, he tossed the cuffs on the dresser. They crashed into the box of condoms and scattered them across the floor. Some of the silver squares even skidded into the bathroom.

"Christ," he muttered.

His hands rested on her thighs. His head hung for a second. When he looked up, he appeared to be struggling. Her hands went quickly to his face and cupped it. Her thumbs rubbed his cheeks. He turned his head slightly and let her cradle his face for a second. Then he kissed her palm.

"I'm sorry."

Rey swallowed. "God, Ben, don't apologize. Like, it's unprotected sex. You could have seepage, even without coming. Please, don't worry, okay? I . . . I'll take the morning after pill."

He nodded. "That's up to you, Rey. It's your body."

"I-I know, but . . . you deserve to be informed about what I'm going to do, at least."

Ben gazed up at her once more.

"Rey," he whispered, "Rey, about today . . . I'm an ass. I should have called you."

She gulped and wagged her head emphatically. "It's fine."

"No, it's not. I meant to but . . ."

His eyes searched hers as if looking for something. Time dragged out then, a thousand micro expressions tweaked creases and tiny muscles across his face.  He moved his lips.

"Rey," he rasped, ache and conflict haunted his gaze, "have you ever set something in motion only to find, it's not what you want?"

 Ben might as well have dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. The air expunged from her chest so quickly, she thought her lungs might implode.

"Wh-What do you mean?"

He grimaced as if in pain. "This, Rey. This was a mistake."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hang in with me, there's method to my madness . . . what exactly does Ben mean . . . ?
> 
> Stay tuned!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another flashback! Ben is truly one of the "good guys" and we get to see it from his perspective in this chapter. Do you love him yet?

 

 

_5  months ago .........._

Ben Solo wasn't a fan of all night house parties. Everyone always drank too much and behaved badly. His girlfriend Melanie lived for them, of course. When he had initially asked her out, he had thought she was the kind of girl he should be with - someone who would balance out his introverted nature - but increasingly, he found their differences exhausting. In fact, he had pretty much resigned himself to breaking up with Melanie but knew it wasn't going to be simple or easy. He still cared and wondered if his restlessness was just a phase. Perhaps even, his disinterest in his girlfriend could be blamed on someone else, someone whom with a preoccupation had implanted and grown like a seed from the moment they had met.

He stretched his neck and curled his fingers under his palm on the armrest. Under the guise of a yawn, he surveyed Rey again. Her lids kept drifting closed and her head bobbed. He gritted his teeth as he watched her loosely held drink slip. He fought the urge to cross the room and take the glass from her limp grasp before she passed out. However, her boyfriend Marc hovered nearby and chatted loudly with a group of his dumbass friends while Melanie gossiped with one of her besties next to him on the leather sofa. No matter how benevolent Ben's intentions might appear, he knew it wouldn't look good to concern himself too intently with Rey Jakks.

Still, he kept a wary eye on her, and had since she'd shown up to the ski chalet well into the party. She had tried to beg off to sleep upstairs but Marc had insisted she stay up, and drink, even though she appeared exhausted from driving all the way from LA by herself. Rey being Rey, and too damn nice for her own good, had capitulated. Marc and his friends had then foisted a drink on her, and then another. Ben suspected they were doubles because it hadn't taken long for Rey to get very tipsy and plunk down into a love seat on the opposite side of the room. She hadn't moved since. Her vulnerability made the muscles in his neck tighten and his guts churn. He was also agitated that Marc seemed so unconcerned.

"Whoop!" Marc finally scooped the crystal tumbler from Rey. "Babe?"

Rey's lids drooped and her head dipped but she nodded. Marc laughed and elbowed one of his friends.

"Ha, ha! Damn, she's done already, dude. What a drag. I was hoping to get lucky tonight!"

His frosted-blonde haired friend shrugged and inclined his head over at some ladies sitting at a bar-height dining table. He wagged his bleached brows. Marc winked at him. Ben knew exactly what that silent exchange meant and it infuriated him. 

"Benny!" 

His head snapped in Melanie's direction. "What, hun?"

He drew in a long breath to calm himself.

Melanie puffed her lips out. "Benny, we want to go down to the pub but it's snowing! Will you take us?"

He sighed. "I thought we were all going to just chill here tonight?"

His girlfriend doubled down on her pout. He blinked a couple times at her and gave his head a shake. She was a pretty girl but he was having trouble feeling anything for her in that moment. A rumble of guilt disturbed his abdomen. He could barely bring himself to sleep with her anymore (which thankfully, she didn't seem to notice) and when they were together, it wasn't satisfying.  

"Chill?" Melanie whined. "Like, this party is dead. Rey is practically dead. Oh, my god, she's embarrassing. Look at her!"

Ben steeled his nerves and obliged. Rey's head had lolled back against the love seat. Her hands had gone limp at her sides. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Something wasn't right. 

"She's just had a little too much to drink," Ben murmured.

"Yeah, duh!" Melanie scoffed. "That girl can't hold her liquor."

Ben drew in a steadying breath. "Well, she's not really a drinker, Mel."

"Pfft, you and her both! How did Marc and I end up with two such lame asses?"

Ben smiled tightly. "Well, now, that's a good thing, isn't it? If I was drunk, I couldn't drive you to the pub."

Melanie grinned. "Then you will take us? Oh, Benny, I love ya! Come on, Gina! Let's go."

The girls popped up and grabbed their coats. Ben rose reluctantly and glanced at Rey. He didn't want to leave her passed out at the chalet by herself but at least if he ditched Melanie, he could return and keep a better watch over Rey for the rest of the night. Of course, the moment the remainder of the party learned that Melanie and company were leaving, they all wanted to go to the pub. Ben begrudgingly delivered two truckloads of people to the packed local joint including the dude bros and Marc with a strange girl sitting on his lap. When the last of them hopped out, the girl leaned heavily on Marc. Ben huffed as he watched the inebriated lout stumble through the pub door with the red-headed girl still on his arm. Just as the door closed, Marc patted the girl on the bum. Ben shook his head and cranked his truck into gear.

"What a piece of work," he muttered. 

He spun snow out the back of his tires and roared back up the hill. When he returned to the chalet, it was quieter than a tomb. 

"Rey?" he called.

Ben made a bee line to the main living area and gulped a breath when he saw she hadn't moved. Outside, the snow had stopped falling and some clouds parted. A slash of moonlight shone in through the chalet windows like a spotlight. Rey's face was pale and saliva dribbled from the corner of her lip.

"Rey?" He approached her and pulled a cord on a nearby lamp.

Her sickly appearance nearly knocked him back on his heels. Her flesh was grey. Her lips purple. He reached up and laid the back of his hand against her forehead. Her flesh was clammy. At least she breathed.

"Rey?" He grabbed her arm and gave it a shake. "Rey? Sweetheart? You okay?"

He looked sideways a moment with large eyes. What the fuck had he just called her, he asked himself?  _Sweetheart?_

"Ahem, fuck . . . Rey? Please?"

She finally gurgled and burped but did not really stir much beyond that.

"Right," he said gruffly, "hospital it is."

He fetched his boots and jacket, wrapped her in a blanket because she was only in a tee and jeans, and carried her out to his truck. After strapping her in, he drove for what seemed like an eternity down the mountain on roads that had yet to be plowed. She remained unconscious. A veritable blizzard blew in half way to the nearest town which made the journey all that much more nerve wracking. His knuckles were blanched of colour on the steering wheel most of the way and by the time they arrived at the hospital, his fingers were numb. He couldn't shake the feeling of utter dread. Rey hadn't drank that much. One and a half drinks, two maybe? It just didn't make sense that she was so ill.

"Hang in there, sweetheart," he murmured as he scooped her out of his truck.

He growled. There he went with the sweetheart bullshit again! He clenched his teeth and carried her into the emergency department. Things snowballed once they were inside the hospital. As soon as the first nurse saw Rey, she immediately called for a doctor. Rey was surrounded while Ben was barraged with questions. 

"This isn't alcohol poisoning," an older, female doctor muttered once she checked Rey's vitals. "What kind of party were you at? Who was bringing her drinks?"

Ben jerked his shoulders. "Just um, friends of ours."

"And you are?"

Ben cleared his throat. "Erm . . . her . . ."

He cleared his throat. He panicked. He didn't want them to send him away.

"Fiance? I'm her fiance. We're getting married."

The doctor eyed him suspiciously. "Did you give her anything?"

He frowned and shook his head. "No, why?"

The doctor's lips flattened grimly. "I suspect she's overdosed on something like GHB or rohypnol."

Ben's chest nearly collapsed in on itself. "Seriously? Date rape drugs?"

The doctor nodded. "We are going to give her a dose of flumazinel straight away and administer oxygen. I don't think we will have to put in a breathing tube but it's a possibility. Her system is depressed right now. We will just have to monitor her and if she doesn't need any further intervention in the next hour, she should recover without any complications."

He wiped his hand over his face. "C-Can I stay with her?"

The doctor's brows twitched up. "Of course, son. You're her family, right?"

Ben experienced a kind of electric shock as those words reverberated through his skull. He didn't know a lot about Rey, but he did know that she had been in foster care as it was something Melanie gossiped about all the time. He looked over at her pale expression and an intense sadness welled up within him on her behalf. She looked so lonely, even in a veritable coma. 

He stayed with her for hours as she recovered. In the end, tests failed to show the presence of anything abnormal in her system but the doctor explained that too much time might have elapsed to detect the drugs or that it could be something for which they hadn't tested. 

"Her blood alcohol content is not very high, it's barely point-oh-eight," the doctor explained, "which means she should be little more than tipsy. I suggest you query these friends of yours, Mr. Solo."

Oh, that wasn't even a question, in his mind. Every frosted-haired sycophant of Marc's was going to be interrogated and threatened within an inch of his life. As for Marc himself, well, Ben would make it very clear that if he had anything to do with drugging Rey (or any other woman), he was going to end up as attic insulation in one of his builds. The only shitty part was, without proof, he knew Marc would never admit to anything and Rey would probably give him the benefit of the doubt. Things would just continue on. It was enough to drive Ben mad.

Not too long after the doctor spoke with him, Rey was discharged. Ben paid for her treatment on his credit card and drove them back to the chalet. The others had returned while they were out, some slept on couches and in the various rooms. Still wary, Ben checked the entire chalet to make sure none of the girls (including Melanie) found themselves in trouble with anyone. When Ben was satisfied everyone was safe, he finally tucked Rey into the only free bed in the basement. He wasn't sure she would remember any of what happened. He closed the door, slid down against it and crossed his arms. He sat there guarding her room for the rest of the night, listening for movement in the chalet, and formulating a plan.

Rey wasn't safe with Marc.

It was time for their relationship to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Ben, something tells me this plan of yours is going to get you in a bit of hot water.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These two!

 

 

 

 

 

_"This, Rey. This was a mistake."_

 

Rey removed her fingers from Ben's face and retracted them to her lap as his words reverberated in her ears. Her entire body began to feel weighty, like she had transformed to lead. She wondered if she was going to sink right through his bed and just continue to disappear through the floor into the abyss like an anchor that had snapped loose from its chain.

"Mistake?" she repeated with a quiver in her voice.

She searched his eyes a moment, then jerked her gaze away. Her breath whooshed from her lungs as if her chest had been whacked by an unseen palm. Her heart stumbled through its next few beats. She hadn't realized just how far out there she had dangled herself when it came to Ben. 

"Right, mistake." She flushed cold and then hot. "Yeah, I know what you mean." 

The bed creaked as she moved. His pupils seemed to dilate. He swore.  

"No, I don't think you do-" 

She touched his hands on her lap and then shakily pushed them away and stood up. Her internal programming took over and a sign flashed in her brain, "WARNING, PROGRAM NOT RESPONDING. RESTART NEEDED." She could almost hear the cooling fans in her brain cranking up.

"Rey, fuck-"

"Where are my clothes?" she whispered miserably.

Her vision swam. Her eyes stung. She growled and kicked at the condoms still scattered across the floor. Finally, she spotted her stunt outfit in a ball next to the bathroom entry. She snatched up her leather pants and tried to shake them out. One of the legs was inside-out while the other was only half turned out. She shook them with a furious cry. One of the legs snapped up and whacked Ben in the mouth just as he rose to his feet. Rey dropped her pants and covered her mouth. He blinked and tilted his chin as if he'd been punched in the face.

"Shit! Oh, my god, sorry!"

Ben rubbed his jaw. His lips were thin, just the tips of his canines visible. He looked her up and down once and reached sideways to one of his drawers.

"I probably deserved that," he murmured as he tossed her one of his tees.

Rey tugged the shirt on with trembling hands as he grabbed a loose pair of shorts. When it unfurled, his shirt hung half-way to her knees. Instead of feeling more secure covered up, she felt tiny and vulnerable. His shorts remained wadded in his grasp. She couldn't help drinking in his naked form again even as he tapped his puffy lip and checked for blood,

"I'm sorry," she sputtered. "I'm stupid and clumsy sometimes."

He shook his head. "Not half as clumsy as me." 

Their eyes met again and Rey felt as if she were being fried by invisible radiation. The word "mistake" kept echoing through her head. She felt the fresh sing of tears again. She was just so incredibly frustrated with him. 

"I-" she faltered a second before her voice cracked, "I . . . I really think I hate you right now."

Yet, that was a lie. She didn't. She couldn't - even though his words fractured her soul.

His nostrils flared. "You should . . .  and if you don't, . . .  you will."

Rey didn't know what happened, but in the next moment, she crossed the room again and kissed him. Her lips trembled as she moved them. She didn't have the courage to speak her frustrations aloud, instead, she hoped her lips could communicate what she could not. Ben groaned and threw his shorts to the floor, then huffed out a breath through his nostrils and kissed her back greedily. His hands clutched her backside under his shirt and they tumbled back to the bed. Before she knew it, Ben had her over his lap and he urged her down on his cock. His hands compressed around her her waist as she sank down and then he jerked his hips upwards.

"Fuck, Rey," he thrust deep, driving up into the heart of her, "fuck. Unh, I need to tell you . . . fuck-"

She clung to him as his hands tightened on her hips and he thrust upwards again. Her hands gripped the nape of his neck, her fingers swirled into his thick hair. She was completely confounded by being enveloped in his scent. The t-shirt she wore seemed to have sponged his scent up only to release in like a pheromone to make her mindless with lust. Her lips sought the flesh of his neck and she practically sobbed with each of his savage, unhinged thrusts. He stroked and stroked until her arousal pooled on his lower belly. His cock hardened as he pumped and his rigid friction became a kind of throbbing ache at her juncture, one so acute she wasn't entirely sure she wasn't in pain. 

"Tell me you hate me," he rasped at one point, his half-lidded gaze burned into hers.

"I can't," the words trembled from her lips. 

"Mmph, fuck." He cycled his hips and shook all over. "Fuck." 

His mouth closed over hers even as he grasped for breath. His movements lost all grace. He trembled within her body. She felt his flesh jump. She experienced a flash and a quiver at her juncture knowing he was close to coming. She squeezed him. 

"F-Fuck!" he groaned. "I'm going to come."

"Uh, huh," she cried.

Rey gripped him and felt him convulse again. She moaned and half-sucked onto his neck as her orgasm rocked her body. Ben swore and hammered into her a few times before she felt his release sputter. His hands dug into her flesh as his body tensed. His breath hitched and he held her as his hips continued to twitch and spasm. Over and over, she felt the ripple of spurts. When he was finished his head fell back against the bed frame and his hold loosened. He blinked a few times as his chest heaved, his half-closed eyes lazily scanned her face. He raised his hand and brushed fingers gently over her cheek.  A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

"You're so . . . pretty," he mumbled.

She wagged her chin, he had said that before but it still felt amazing to hear. "Y-You're the pretty one."

He laughed as if he recalled their previous exchange as well. "Gee, thanks."

He stared at her for a little while longer before his lips pulled into a grim line. He inhaled a deep breath and let it out again.

"This sucks. Fuck me, this fucking sucks," he muttered.

Rey grabbed his arm with both hands. "Alright, I'm about done with your cagey bullshit. You had better explain."

Ben swallowed. "I did a bad thing."

The fingers on his captive hand flexed. Rey drew in a fortifying breath.

"What did you do?"

He sighed. "I . . . I set up Marc to cheat on you in Vegas. I wanted you two to break up."

Her head jerked as she angled an ear towards him. She couldn't process his words.

"Wh-What? What are you talking about?"

She watched his throat bob as he gulped again. His colour drained.

"I paid that friend of Melanie's to flirt with Marc and message you some compromising pics after Marc passed out, but they did not actually sleep together . . .  even though he thinks they did. He never cheated on you, at least, not in Vegas."

Rey's head swam. 

"I . . . I don't understand. Wh-Why . . . why would you do that?"

He grimaced. "I was trying to protect you."

She scooted off his lap and distanced herself across the bed. There was something off about his tone.

"That's baloney. I don't need protection."

He sat up onto his knees and leaned towards her, his eyes flashed. "Yes, you do."

"The hell I do!" She seethed.

Ben's eyes narrowed. He licked his teeth.

"Fine, you're right. That's not why I did it."

She rose up on her knees in turn. "Then why? Why, goddammit?"

His nostrils flared. "Because I wanted you for myself."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha, I have no plan, just boinking and angst. However, will Rey forgive him for this? His behavior was a little not good. What do you think?


End file.
